Business · Energy & Commodities · 8 hrs ago
Italian small firms face energy costs more than 22% above EU average
Italian micro and small businesses are facing sharply higher energy costs, according to figures from Confartigianato Lombardia.
In October, firms using less than 2,000 megawatt-hours of electricity paid 22.1% more than the EU average.
Energy commodity prices rose 10.8% from September, adding pressure on businesses across Italy.
In Lombardy, the extra cost compared with last autumn is estimated at 870 million euros, while the national total is 4.601 billion euros.
Some Lombardy businesses face annual increases above 50%, including a metal-treatment firm estimated to pay 40,000 euros more.
The higher bills can affect firms’ competitiveness and planning for production and investment.
Energy and gas prices for 2027 have recently fallen, and markets expect a more marked decline from next spring.
Italian micro and small businesses with electricity use below 2,000 MWh paid 22.1% more for energy than the EU-27 average in October.
The price gap added €4.601 billion in costs nationally compared with the previous autumn, according to Confartigianato.
Lombardy had the largest regional burden, at €870 million.
Energy commodity prices rose 10.8% in October compared with September, the article reports.
Confartigianato said the costs are unsustainable and called for immediate action.
- Who
- Italian micro and small businesses using less than 2,000 MWh of electricity.
- What
- They paid 22.1% more for energy than the EU-27 average in October.
- When
- October 2026; the article was published on 5 November 2026.
- Where
- Italy, with Lombardy reporting the largest regional cost burden.
- Why
- The article attributes the pressure to rising energy commodity prices and uncertainty.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Energy commodity prices rose 4.2% in the previous month, according to the article.
Energy commodity prices rose 10.8% compared with September, and small businesses paid 22.1% more than the EU-27 average.
Corriere della Sera published the report on Confartigianato’s analysis.
- EU-27 price gap
- 22.1% above the average
- National extra cost
- €4.601 billion compared with the previous autumn
- Lombardy extra cost
- €870 million
- October commodity price rise
- 10.8% compared with September
- Metal-treatment example
- 53.7% increase, or €40,000 more in a year
What people are saying
For our businesses, the cost of energy is a competitiveness issue. These costs are unsustainable, so immediate action is needed.
Businesses must be able to plan production and investment without seeing their accounts continually thrown into question.