As reported by Istat (read EFA News ), in the first four months of 2024 exports to non-EU countries grew by 2.2% and came close to 100 billion euros, ahead of what happened in 2023." The export numbers to non-EU countries in April 2024 confirm the now consolidated fluctuating behavior", is the comment of the president of Ice Agency Matteo Zoppas . Exports of energy products are still declining but a positive signal comes from the growth in foreign sales in other sectors, especially consumer goods, which we hope will also occur for trade with EU countries".

In detail, the variability that has characterized the trend of exports to non-EU countries for over a year continues; in April 2024 there was a further reversal of the "sign" with a growth of +3.4% compared to March 2024 (a month which had marked a reduction of -4.5% compared to February 2024 which in turn had instead marked a growth of +7.6% compared to January of the same year). Energy exports are down, at -19.2% compared to March 2024, affected by international geopolitical instability, while a good signal comes from the sale of consumer and instrumental goods, at +6.1 and +5 respectively, 8% compared to March 2024.

As with the March data, the overall result is conditioned by operations linked to the shipbuilding sector; if they are excluded, the growth of Italian exports compared to March drops to +0.9%, the president of Ice Agenzia continues in his analysis.

Of note in the annual comparison is the growth in sales to all non-EU partners, particularly large towards Turkey (+68.6%), the United Kingdom (+39.9%), and Japan (+23.0%), the only exception is Switzerland which recorded a reduction of -6.5%. Sales to China are rising again for the first time this year at +8.2% compared to the same month of 2023. In recent months the data relating to the Chinese market had been affected by the comparison with record exports of pharmaceutical-related goods to treatment for Covid19 in the first months of 2023, concludes Zoppas ' analysis.