US tariffs pose a risk to Italian mechanical exports

The president of Anima Confindustria, Pietro Almici, calls on EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič for action.

In an increasingly complex and competitive global context, the Italian mechanical engineering industry represented by Anima Confindustria is facing significant challenges due to the recent tariffs imposed by the United States. On August 19, the White House announced the introduction of duties of up to 50% on products and components made of steel, aluminum, and derivatives, a measure that threatens the competitiveness of Italian companies in the primary reference market for the mechanical engineering sector, with exports reaching €4.4 billion in 2024.

Pietro Almici, president of Anima Confindustria, said: "It is essential that the European Union responds in a coordinated manner to these protectionist measures. On the occasion of his visit to Italy, we urge EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič to intensify negotiations with the US government to reduce bureaucratic burdens and eliminate extra duties on mechanical engineering products containing steel, aluminum, and copper. We believe it is necessary to define a defense strategy and accelerate market diversification, including new trade agreements such as the one with Mercosur. The mechanical engineering industry has historically been the engine of Europe's economic and social development. Companies in the sector not only drive exports but also contribute significantly to economic stability and social cohesion, with 60% of production destined for export. At this historic moment—Almici continues—specific agreements between US and European customs would reduce the bureaucratic burden, which, in the case of SMEs, can result in the deployment of as few as two or three people for two weeks to dedicate to a single order. A clearly unsustainable business cost for small and medium-sized companies, which comprise the vast majority of the Italian mechanical manufacturing industry.

Despite recent trade tensions, mechanical engineering exports have demonstrated remarkable resilience. In the first half of 2025, export turnover for the sectors represented by Anima Confindustria remained stable, with growth of +0.4%, exceeding €19.8 billion (data from Anima's Statistics and Market Intelligence Office). In this scenario, it is crucial for the mechanical engineering industry to develop new strategies to safeguard and expand the market. The diversification of destinations, already underway towards North America, the Middle East, and Africa, represents a strategic lever for strengthening Italian exports and improving the trade balance, which has shown signs of rebalancing in recent years.
 
A good example could come from the Mattei Plan, launched in 2024, which offers a concrete opportunity to relaunch Italian technological capabilities in Africa, supporting local development through equal partnerships and creating opportunities for European mechanical engineering SMEs. Similarly, in Europe, the harmonization and dissemination of European technical standards in partner countries would facilitate exports and industrial integration on our continent.

"We ask that in the upcoming trade negotiations, the European Union include concrete tools for regulatory convergence, in order to reduce time and costs and create barrier-free industrial corridors," added Almici. "Italy's strategic position in the EU manufacturing industry is essential to ensure solid commercial performance and contribute to the dissemination of European industrial standards."

ANIMA Confindustria is the industrial trade organization that, within Confindustria, represents companies in the mechanical and related sectors, a sector that employs 221,700 people with a turnover of €55.5 billion and an export/turnover share of 59% (data from the Anima Research Office). The macro-sectors represented by ANIMA are: construction and infrastructure; material handling and logistics; food production; energy production; industrial production; safety and environment.