Rome, March 20, 2025 – On the eve of a three-day mission to Brussels, Assarmatori welcomes the outcome of the meeting between the Minister of Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, and the Executive Vice President for a Clean, Fair, and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera, the Commissioner for Energy and Housing Policies, Dan Jorgensen, and the European Commissioner for Climate Action, Wopke Bastian Hoekstra, which took place on the sidelines of the Energy Council.

“Minister Pichetto Fratin hit the mark by calling for fair competition conditions between European and non-European ports concerning the impact of the ETS on container transshipment,” commented Chairman Stefano Messina. “This is precisely the central issue that we will also bring to the attention of European institutions. The risk we face today is the desertification of these activities in Italy, leading to job losses and a loss of control, including geopolitical control, over crucial maritime transport hubs. We cannot afford this.”

During next week’s mission to the Belgian capital, Assarmatori’s board will meet with European Commission Vice President Raffaele Fitto, Italian parliamentary group leaders at the European Parliament, the Presidents of the Environment and Transport parliamentary committees—including Antonio Decaro—and senior European Commission officials in the relevant sectors.

“Among other issues, we will discuss this very topic,” Messina continued. “It is undoubtedly a positive development to have a government that—from Minister Salvini to Deputy Minister Rixi, as well as Minister Musumeci and Minister Pichetto Fratin himself—has fully understood the risks and distortions of European climate regulation and is working at all levels to address them. Italy must stand united on such important and strategic issues.”