Road haulage: the government’s anti-strike package: ‘480 million immediately’

Release the funds already allocated immediately and find new resources to put an end to the lorry drivers’ protest. It was on this two-pronged approach that discussions began at the Prefecture in Milan between the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini, the Deputy Minister Edoardo Rixi and the road haulage associations.

“We have released around one billion euros: 480 million to cover all applications received up to August, and we are allocating further funds for September and October; however, the tax credit will obviously be paid out in 2027.” So said Rixi at the end of the summit. “From today, we are beginning to disburse grants for the 430 million – which has now risen to around 480 million – to clear all applications received up to 30 August, which was the last application window to open,” added the Deputy Minister. Shortly before, the Minister for Infrastructure had offered a glimmer of hope: “We are working flat out to provide concrete answers as early as today, so the 430 million that are already in the budget, are already in the coffers and have already been allocated,” Salvini had told RTL 102.5 – ‘To overcome a thousand bureaucratic hurdles, we have made it a priority that payments begin as early as this week, because many businesses cannot wait’.

The aim is to find a solution to the dispute that is hampering the distribution of goods, with the first empty shelves appearing, particularly in the South. On the eve of the talks, Salvini reported having been in direct contact with lorry drivers and local associations in Sicily, Campania and Puglia. These groups, he explained to the radio station, ‘have lifted the motorway blockades on the A1 on certain sections to allow shops, pharmacies and supermarkets to be restocked’. The minister described this move as a ‘gesture of goodwill’.

In the meantime, however, following initial reassurances at the negotiating table, the minister has agreed to the immediate release of funds: payments for the increased cost of fuel are set to begin tomorrow, as reported by some of the organisations present at the table, amounting to 70 per cent of the total, equivalent to approximately 306 million euros (covering the period 1 March–31 August). The remaining funds, up to 437 million, will be disbursed by the end of November. The package proposed by the government provides for an additional allocation of 60 million to cover the period September–October 2026. The platform will reopen from 5 November for 15 days, with payments due in January–February 2027. Looking ahead, the government has already prepared a provision in the forthcoming Infrastructure Decree-Law for an automatic cost mechanism based on the Spanish model, designed to reinforce the ‘fuel surcharge’ already in place: the measure is currently under review by the State Audit Office. The package proposed by the government also includes the release of the 590 million fund for the renewal of the vehicle fleet with effect from 1 January 2027. The meeting has been adjourned until 27 October to verify compliance with the agreements.

Finally, there is the Marebonus, an incentive for road haulage companies that load vehicles and swap bodies onto ships, thereby reducing the number of kilometres travelled on the national road network. Salvini has assured that ‘funding will also be available for the so-called “mare bonus”’. The overall programme provides for a total allocation of 125 million euros for the multi-year period up to 2026, allocated as approximately 39 million for the first year and 21.5 million euros per year for each of the subsequent years. The government, as confirmed by Rixi, has committed to paying out the outstanding annual instalments within the first ten days of November, whilst around 50 million is expected for 2026 under the year-end allocation decree.