ROMA (ITALPRESS) – The transport and logistics sector in Italy is 9% of the Gross Domestic Product and represents a strategic sector for the national economy. Andrea Cappa, general manager of Confetra, is underlined by the confederation of transport and logistics that in 2026 celebrates 80 years of activity.
“Although it doesn’t come so much to the honors of the news, it is a sector that has a very important importance, because without transport, logistics and shipments the shopping cart would not be full”, explains Cappa in an interview with Claudio Brachino for the television magazine Italpress Economy. Confetra brings together about twenty federations, about 50 provincial and territorial associations and 13 regional associations.
2025 proved to be a complex year for the sector, marked by phenomena that have profoundly engraved on international trade. Regarding US duties, Cappa invites caution: “In the first few weeks we were afraid they would produce devastating effects. Today these negative effects we have not recorded them, but the consequences of any transformation on international trade happen after a while. Some effect could come in the coming months.” Despite the turbulence, the industry held. “The system works”, assures the general manager of Confetra, although with different performances: the air freight transport is growing, the marine one and the road haulage maintain levels similar to the previous years, while the urban distribution records tensions on the marginality.
The most critical situation concerns rail freight transport, with more than 10%, due to the work of the PNRR and the maintenance in progress. “They are absolutely welcome works, but the railway has suffered a lot this situation, which will continue throughout 2026. It would need more support for private railway companies, as well as other countries have done abroad,” Cappa points out.
On the international front, Confetra supports the trade agreements of the European Union with Mercosur and India: “Advancing the markets of Italy and Europe is an essential element in times of strong international tensions,” explains the Director-General.
Particular attention is paid to the energy transition. “We have extremely challenging targets at 2030 and 2050,” explains Cappa, who calls for realism to the European Union on electric drive: “If there are no heavy means that guarantee adequate travel and costs, and there are no efficient charging systems on the European motorway network, other technologies such as biodiesel must be used.”
Criticizes the position of Confetra on the fee of 2 euros for shipments of value less than 150 euros, called “a boomerang” from the general manager. “We moved traffic from Italy to other European airports such as Leipzig and Budapest. We do not charge 2 euros, we lose traffic control and we have more emissions for transport by truck”, Cappa report.
Finally, the theme of work: in the sector there is a growing mismatch despite reforms on postgraduate ITS. “Our sector is not only conveyors and warehouses. Engineers, programmers, statistics are missing. And there is a shortage of 35,000 drivers, with a worrying average age,” the Director-General concludes.
– Press Office photos Confetra –
(ITALPRESS).
