Report on Italy

Globalisation and Italy

With the contribution of the Director-General for Internationalisation Policies - Department of Foreign Trade

Also Italy is gradually sensing globalisation.

During the ten year period between 1998-2007, commercial trade with other countries has increased significantly: the value of exports has increased 62.9% and the import value has increased 88.2%.

There was a trade surplus until 2003, but trade deficits have been registered since 2004 onward.

Table 29 - Italian commercial trade (values in millions of Euros)

Source: elaboration by the Economic Observatory of the Department of International Trade of Istat data

In spite of the increases that were registered over the past decade, Italy's share in the world market has gradually decreased from 4.5% in world exports as registered in 1998 to the 3.4% registered in 2006. Provisional 2007 data seems to indicate a slight trend reversal, with a slight recovery in comparison to the previous year.

This reduction in Italy's export quotas is the result of the success obtained by the developing countries in the manufacturing industry, whose products are obtaining new market share.

Also with regard to imports, Italy's market share has gradually decreased from 3.9% to 3.5%.

Table 30 - Italy's market share in world exports and imports

Source: elaboration by the Economic Observatory of the Department of International Trade of FMI-DOTS data

to be continued