by Alicia Barbas
Italy’s fragile economic outlook is hanging in the balance as the prospect of new U.S. tariffs threatens to hit key industries, potentially erasing projected growth for the next two years and pushing the country into stagnation.
The tariffs, expected to target high-performing sectors such as machinery, pharmaceuticals, and food, along with the already struggling automotive industry, could have an outsized impact on an economy that has struggled to gain momentum. Analysts warn that if tariffs are broad-based and met with retaliatory measures from the European Union, the damage could exceed half a percentage point of GDP—enough to wipe out growth forecasts for 2025 and 2026.
The situation places Friuli Venezia Giulia and the rest of Italy in a precarious position, caught between the unpredictable trade policies of Washington and the broader economic challenges facing Europe. Whether through negotiation or escalation, the coming months will determine whether the country can weather the storm—or slip further into economic uncertainty.
interviews: Onofrio Rota, national general secretary of FAI CISL; Gobbo Stefano, regional secretary of FAI CISL FVG
