The application of the duty will cause a drastic reduction estimated at least 50% of freight traffic volumes related to e-commerce
Confetra believes that the postponement of the entry into force of the duty on small parcels shows that the government has heeded the alarm raised by operators in the sector. “However, while appreciating the postponement, this is not the solution to the problem. The mere extension to October 1st is not a solution: the tax must be eliminated definitively.”
This was stated by the president of Confetra (Italian General Confederation of Transport and Logistics), Carlo De Ruvo, commenting on the measure included by the Council of Ministers in the new Infrastructure Decree, which postponed the effectiveness of the levy on goods up to 150 euros in value coming from outside EU borders. The president of Confetra wanted to reiterate the immediate effects that the introduction of this measure would have on the country’s system, confirming what was already expressed in an official letter addressed to the Minister of Economy and Finance, Giancarlo Giorgetti.
For Confetra, the application of the duty will in fact cause a drastic reduction estimated at least 50% of freight traffic volumes related to international e-commerce and ultra fast fashion. This sharp contraction in the sector will not generate the hoped-for revenue, but on the contrary will cause a net loss of approximately 25 million euros for the State in 2026, heavily penalizing the entire national logistics chain which represents a fundamental pillar of the Italian economy. The tax on small parcels, initially introduced in January to counter the advance of Chinese e-commerce giants, has already undergone several changes, going through a suspension in March and a subsequent postponement to July, up to the new October deadline.
“Continuing to move the start date of the measure only creates uncertainty for operators in the sector,” concludes De Ruvo – “Italy cannot act alone by penalizing its own infrastructure. Measures must not be purely national, but coordinated at the community level: for this reason Confetra strongly calls for full alignment with the European handling fee regulation. It is necessary to wait and move in harmony with the introduction of the single European duty, avoiding unilateral barriers that would have the sole effect of diverting traffic flows towards other continental hubs, cutting out Italian ports and airports.”
