Confartigianato: anti-tariffs exports up 5% in 25 countries

With the U.S. tariffs, "our companies are not standing idly by and are working hard to conquer new world markets outside the USA", points out Confartigianato, which calculates: "In 25 'top market' countries in the first four months of 2025 our sales increased by 5.3% compared to the -2% recorded in the remaining international markets". In the top-five "for increase in exports made in Italy "the Arab Emirates (+20.9%), followed by Brazil (+14%), Switzerland (+13.1%), Spain (+10.6%) and Saudi Arabia (+9.6%)". Over the year, if this trend continues, 'these 25 markets could generate an increase in exports of 20.4 billion'.

"While waiting to know the real impact of the US tariffs, our companies are not standing idly by and are busy conquering new world markets outside the USA": the Confartigianato report highlights that "our products 'run' with greater speed in 25 'top market' countries that in 2024 absorbed 61.5% of Italian exports, for a value of 383.6 billion out of the total 623.5 billion of our exports, and in which in the first 4 months of 2025 our sales increased by 5.3% compared to the -2% recorded in the remaining international markets".

As for the 'top five', "in absolute values, our companies sell 7.9 billion euro worth of products in the United Arab Emirates, while in Brazil Italian exports amount to 5.8 billion, in Switzerland 30.2 billion, in Spain 34.5 billion and in Saudi Arabia 6.2 billion. Among the other dynamic markets, although Italian exports are less than Euro 5 billion, there is double-digit growth in sales to Israel with +13.1%, Denmark with +11.8%, Ireland with +11.5% and Singapore with +11.3%.

Confartigianato "has estimated that if the growth trend of the first four months is confirmed on an annual basis, in 2025 these 25 markets could generate an increase in our exports of 20.4 billion euros. A result capable of compensating for the drop in sales in the USA due to the new customs tariffs'. Small companies contribute to the affirmation of Made in Italy on world markets outside the USA. In the Arab Emirates, for example, exports by SMEs are worth 3.5 billion, in Saudi Arabia it is 1.3 billion, and in Brazil 857 million. Among the most dynamic sectors: food, fashion, furniture, wood, metals, jewellery and eyewear'.

Our companies,' observes the president of Confartigianato, Marco Granelli, 'are doing their part to react to the impact of the US tariffs, seeking new market outlets for Italian products. Now, however, we ask that Europe really do Europe and put the competitiveness of entrepreneurs at the centre of its action. We have too many balls at our feet,' he warns, 'excessive bureaucracy, the burden of taxation, difficulties in accessing credit, high energy costs. Suffice it to say that Italian companies pay 28% more for energy than the European average'. "From the Italian government, Granelli concludes, we ask for the same commitment to defend and enhance the quality of Italian products on international markets.