Destro: 'Crossing the Alps is a European priority'
The delegate of the Confindustria president for transport, logistics and tourism speaks: the issue of crossings is often considered a local dossier, but concerns the competitiveness of the entire EU
by Marco Morino
The crossing of the Alps is a strategic priority, not only national but also European, for several reasons. Leopoldo Destro, the Confindustria president's delegate for transport, logistics and the tourism industry, explains.
In Italia, is the Alpine crossings issue still poorly perceived at national level?
Not at national level, but at European level. The subject of Alpine crossings is often considered a local dossier, but it concerns the competitiveness of the whole of Europe. When we talk about inefficiencies and self-imposed tariffs within the EU (44% on goods and 110% on services), the crossings are an important part of the problem. When a crossing gets blocked, the effects are not confined to border areas but weigh on the entire European economy.
Mont Blanc is an emergency: why is Confindustria in favour of doubling the tunnel?
Confindustria has long emphasised that the structural solution is the second tube (tunnel). With an estimated construction time of 5-6 years and coverage already set aside, it would guarantee more sustainability and certain time/costs in such a critical asset as the one between Italia and France. The data confirm the vulnerability of the current infrastructure, which in fact requires heavy maintenance and major closures.
France, however, seems indifferent: how to push it to act, should Europe do it?
We asked Brussels for a strengthening of the decision-making powers of the European Commission, with the creation of a special Commission representative for border crossings, which need to be managed as a strategic asset for Europe. The value of intra-EU trade in 2023 reached EUR 4,102 billion and the growth of the intra-EU market was 61% higher than the growth of extra-EU exports, which stood at EUR 2,556 billion. These figures decisively underline the essential role that the single European market plays for the growth of the entire EU economy.
And on the Brenner Pass and the lorry bans imposed by Austria, what is the position of Confindustria?
