Italian ceramic industry seeks EU ETS reforms to offset emission costs

The Italian ceramic industry is calling for urgent corrective measures regarding the European Union's Emissions Trading System (ETS). Augusto Ciarrocchi, President of Confindustria Ceramica, highlighted that while Italy supported recent Council negotiations to improve industrial competitiveness through higher free emission allocations, a specific corrective is needed for the ceramic sector.

Industry leaders note that the current generic benchmark approach penalizes the ceramic sector by up to 40 million euros annually. This financial burden, driven by CO2 emission costs, threatens the sector's ability to invest and increases the risk of delocalization due to international competition.

Additionally, industry representatives like Filippo Manuzzi have expressed concerns regarding energy costs and bureaucracy. Despite geopolitical uncertainties, the sector reports stability in performance, with the upcoming Cersaie trade fair expected to host over 100,000 visitors and 600 exhibitors.