Italian Imports in 2025

Italy, the third-largest economy in the Eurozone, plays a central role in European international trade. In 2025, its imports are projected to reach approximately €590 billion, according to forecasts from the European Commission and the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT). This volume, an increase of nearly 3.5% compared to 2024, reflects the recovery in domestic demand, industrial modernization, and the country's structural dependence on certain energy resources and raw materials.

Let's examine the value of Italian imports in 2025.

I. An Open and Trade-Dependent Economy

Italy is one of the most open countries to global trade, with an openness ratio (the sum of exports and imports as a percentage of GDP) exceeding 65%. In 2025, Italy's GDP is estimated at €2,350 billion, and imports represent approximately 25% of this value.

This strong integration into European and global value chains is explained by the country's industrial structure: Italy is a major importer of intermediate goods, energy products, and technologies essential to its production system, particularly in the automotive, chemical, metallurgical, and agri-food sectors.

1. The Structure of Italian Imports

Italian imports fall into several main categories:

Energy products: approximately €110 billion in 2025, representing 18.6% of the total. Italy remains dependent on imported natural gas, crude oil, and electricity, primarily from Algeria, Norway, and Azerbaijan.

Intermediate and industrial goods: nearly €220 billion (37%), including metals, chemicals, electronic components, and machine tools.

Consumer goods: approximately €130 billion (22%), dominated by textiles, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and food products. Agricultural and food products: approximately €45 billion (7.5%), including a significant share of cereals, soybeans, meat, and tropical fruits.

Digital services and technologies: approximately €85 billion (14%), experiencing strong growth thanks to digitalization and imports of software, IT services, and technology licenses.

2. Main trading partners

The European Union remains Italy's main supplier, accounting for 55% of imports, with Germany (17%) leading in machinery, vehicles, and chemicals, followed by France (9%) in pharmaceuticals and food products, the Netherlands (6%) in energy and logistics, and Spain (5%) in agriculture and textiles. Outside the EU, China accounts for 9% with electronic equipment and consumer goods, the United States 6% in technology and pharmaceuticals, while Algeria and Azerbaijan together supply 5% in hydrocarbons, and Turkey 3% in metallurgical products and automotive parts.

II. Trends and Outlook for 2025

In 2025, Italian imports are characterized by an energy transition with a decline in fossil fuels (from 22% in 2020 to less than 19% in 2025) in favor of renewable energy equipment, an industrial recovery supporting demand for intermediate goods, strong growth in the digital sector with more than 8% per year for IT services and information technology, and a stabilization of energy costs thanks to the appreciation of the euro to around 1.12 USD/EUR.

III. Economic Challenges

Despite the strength of its trade, Italy remains vulnerable due to a high level of energy dependence, which fuels a trade deficit of nearly €35 billion. Its industrial competitiveness remains under pressure from Asian competition, while the country must increase its investments in research and innovation to reduce its technological vulnerability and strengthen its economic resilience.

Diversifying supplies, accelerating the energy transition, and strengthening the digital transformation: these are the priorities that will enable the Italian economy to become more resilient and competitive in the years to come.