Italy • • • 🌿 Progressive

Camiones de mercancías en una autopista italiana al amanecer junto a campos agrícolas
Imagen alusiva al apoyo al transporte, la agricultura y la pesca en Italia. · Imagen generada para EPM

Italy approves urgent support for transport, farms and fishing

The Italian government approved a decree-law granting urgent support to road haulage, agriculture and fishing over higher fuel costs, combining a diesel tax…

--- The context --- Rising fuel costs are squeezing three essential sectors in Italy: road haulage, agriculture and fishing. For many firms, diesel determines whether they can keep operating, meet delivery schedules and bring products to market at all. --- The facts --- The Council of Ministers met on Thursday 22 October 2026 at 12.28 at Palazzo Chigi, chaired by Giorgia Meloni, with Alfredo Mantovano as secretary, and ended at 12.50. On the proposal of Meloni, Matteo Salvini and Francesco Lollobrigida, it approved an urgent decree-law supporting the three sectors, aimed at containing higher fuel costs, supporting liquidity and operational continuity and favouring traceability. The diesel tax credit for hauliers gains an additional 45.2 million euros for spending from March to August 2026 and a further 60 million euros for 2026 covering spending from 1 September to 5 October 2026. The entry into force of the customs contribution on low-value shipments is postponed from 1 December 2026 to 1 January 2027. For haulage contracts longer than thirty days, the ministry will publish and update every quarter the minimum and maximum percentages for the fuel cost share, and for contracts not made in writing the minimum values will be mandatory for issuing invoices. Haulage firms carrying goods for third parties and registered on the national register may suspend, until 31 March 2027, leasing payments for their vehicles, with no revocation and with the contract extended by the suspended period. Agriculture will receive a non-repayable contribution, paid into the beneficiary account by the competent agency, of up to 45 cents per litre and capped at 60 million euros, for costs from 1 June to 15 October 2026. Fishing will receive 10 percent of spending in the same period, capped at 10 million euros. Firms with net revenues of no more than 450 million euros or no more than 1,000 employees are also exempted from sustainability reporting for financial years beginning between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2027. --- The positions --- According to the government, the priority is to give immediate breathing space to firms exposed to a cost they do not control and to prevent cash pressure from turning into closures or service interruptions in essential sectors. --- What remains unknown --- The statement does not detail the eligibility requirements for the farming and fishing grants, nor the application and payment timetable. It also does not specify how compliance with the fuel cost percentages will be checked across contracts. --- Unanswered questions --- When will firms be able to apply for each form of support and how quickly will the money arrive? Will the caps of 60 million euros and 10 million euros be enough if demand exceeds the amounts provided? What will happen to leasing payments when the suspension ends in March 2027? --- EPM analysis --- The decree mixes tax relief, direct grants and a financial pause. Its most structural element is the quarterly percentage mechanism for haulage contracts, because it turns part of the price risk into verifiable rules. The real effect will depend on how fast payments are made. 📌 EPM Take: In EPM's view, the decree is right to treat fuel as a problem of productive continuity rather than only of prices, because it combines liquidity, a tax credit and contract rules in a single package. Its limit is the calendar, since almost everything is temporary and the caps could fall short if costs stay high. The test will be delivery, with fast payments and clear criteria for those who keep transport, farming and fishing running.
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