Imagine dropping a stone into a calm pond. The splash marks the point of impact, but the ripples spread far beyond it. The new US trade tariffs introduced in 2025 affected the Italian economy in much the same way. While the most visible damage hit companies exporting directly to the United States, the deeper effects spread through Italy’s domestic supply chains, reaching firms with no direct connection to the US market.
A trade tariff is a tax placed on imported goods to make them more expensive and encourage domestic production. In 2025, the United States sharply increased tariffs on imports from many countries, including Italy. Goods from the European Union were hit with a 15% tariff, a steep rise from the previous average of about 3%.
