September marks a sharp recovery for Italian foreign trade with non-EU27 countries. According to data released today by Istat, on a quarterly basis exports grew by + 5,9 %, while imports recorded a slightly higher increase, equal to + 6,1 %The positive trend affects almost all sectors, with a significant push coming from capital goods (+14,7%), driven by sales of maritime navigation means, and come on non-durable consumer goods (+6,3%)Energy (-16,9%) and intermediate goods (-0,5%) decreased instead.
On the import side, the increase is mainly explained by non-durable consumer goods (+22,2%) and come on intermediate goods (+8,3%), a sign of a recovery in domestic demand and the production chain. In third quarter 2025 exports grow by1,8 % compared to the previous quarter, supported by sales of energy (+27,3%), capital goods (+6,9%) e intermediate goods (+4,1%), while imports increase by 0,9 %, with a decrease only for energy (-5,9%).
On an annual basis, Italian exports to non-EU markets show a robust + 9,9 % (against -7,0% in August), thanks above all to energy (+16,8%), capital goods (+13,0%), non-durable consumer goods (+12,8%) and intermediate goods (+10,2%). The only sector in decline is that of durable consumer goods (-17,1%). Imports, on the other hand, accelerate by + 16,9 %, driven by the non-durable consumer goods (+58,4%)The trade balance with non-EU countries remains positive for +2,7 billion euros, but decreasing compared to +3,75 billion of September 2024. The energy deficit (-3,4 billion) decreases slightly, while the surplus of non-energy products falls from 7,7 to 6,2 billion.
At a geographical level, exports to the United States (+34,4%, +12,0% excluding maritime vessels), towards the OPEC countries (+23,8%), Japan (+15,6%) , Switzerland (+10%). Exports to the country are decreasing instead Türkiye (-33,9%)Imports from USA (+76,8%), From China (+32,3%) and by the 'India (+28,6%) are particularly dynamic, while those from United Kingdom (-3,1%) e Switzerland (-1,0%).
Overall, in the first nine months of 2025 extra-EU exports grow by + 2,6 % (+3,0% net of energy), while imports advance by + 9,0 %, reducing the overall trade surplus to 35,1 billion euros against i 45,4 billion of the same period in 2024. September therefore represents a month of recovery for Italian foreign trade but the rebalancing between imports and exports shows a reduction of the trade surplus, signaling a more lively trading environment but also growing pressure on external accounts.
