Global Scans · Italy · Weekly Summary

WHAT'S NEXT?: The Italian economy is already in a fragile state and a now likely period of political uncertainty would be likely to do further damage. In particular, Italy's banking industry is seen as vulnerable to a loss of confidence. Italy could be the next domino to fall out of the EU through increasing populist party support.

• [New] Italy will provide Ukraine with about 80 industrial boilers worth a total of 1.85 million euros (roughly $2.1 million) and with capacities ranging from 550 to 3,000 kilowatts. Critical Threats
• [New] Libya plans to sign a $2.7 billion strategic partnership with Qatari, Italian, and Swiss companies to expand and develop the Misurata Free Zone Port, aiming to generate $500 million in annual operating revenues. GeopoliticsUnplugged Substack
• [New] Italy's Piracy Shield rapid-blocking system fined Cloudflare €14 million for non-compliance, prompting threats to withdraw services and investments, exposing infrastructure neutrality breakdown. GeopoliticsUnplugged Substack
• [New] Even under the lowest-considered global warming level of 1.5 °C, the projected increases in EALA from baseline values are substantial, with increases of 19% in Italy, 77% in UK, 114% in France, 12% in Norway and 77% in Denmark. Nature
• [New] Under the lowest warming scenario of 1.5 °C, the median additional annual expenditures are projected to be €10 million for Italy and €5 million for Norway. Nature
• [New] Italian pension funds are warning that allowing workers to transfer employers' contributions could increase member costs and undermine long-term investment in the real economy. IPE
• [New] United States internet company Cloudflare has threatened to pull its services in Italy, including for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, after being fined 14 million euros ($16m) for failing to tackle online piracy. Al Jazeera
• [New] In controlled experiments with participants in England and Italy, naming a heatwave - even with emotive labels like Lucifer - had little impact on how people perceived risk or planned to respond. The Conversation
• [New] By 2050, the hyperloop transport network would cover the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, and Poland, totaling approximately 6,207 km. Railway PRO
• [New] Observing whether similar patterns emerge in the eight towns of Northern Italy will confirm or challenge the economic impact claims for the distributed Olympics model. Ainvest
• [New] In Italy, a constitutional amendment separating the functions of judges and public prosecutors, currently united in a single body, will move to a nationwide referendum expected in spring 2026. ConstitutionNet
• [New] L'Aquila, the city devastated by the massive earthquake that struck the central Abruzzo region 16 years ago, will take up its role as Italian Capital of Culture 2026. Wanted in Rome
• [New] Italy's expected modest acceleration in GDP growth will likely be driven mainly by consumption and investment, the latter fuelled by the upcoming deadline for the EU-funded recovery plan. ING Think
• [New] Italian consumption of machine tools, robots, and automation is forecast to grow by 5.9% to 4730 million euros, with imports rising 6.8% to 1875 million euros. Metalworking News |
• [New] ECB's TPI faces strain as France's debt crisis risks contagion across Southern Europe, with Italy's 138% debt-to-GDP ratio amplifying systemic vulnerabilities. Ainvest
• [New] SpaceX plans the first California rocket launch of 2026, targeting a Falcon 9 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base to deploy the CSG-3 Earth-observation satellite for the Italian Space Agency, replacing the COSMO-SkyMed system. Without cables
• [New] SpaceX plans to launch a batch of COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation satellites for the Italian Space Agency and the Italian Ministry of Defence from Vandenberg Space Force Base using a Falcon 9 rocket. Without cables
• [New] Inflation is expected to remain steady in the Euro Area at 2.1% in December, in France at 0.9%, and in Italy at 1.1%, while in Germany inflation is expected to slow to 2.0% from 2.3%. Trading Economics
• [New] Euro area unemployment is expected to be unchanged at 6.4%, while Italy's unemployment rate is seen holding at 6.0%. Trading Economics
• [New] The first of the Outrageous Predictions 2026 envisions Italy ready to revolutionize the management of its gold reserves. The Cryptonomist
• [New] Internationally, advisors expect Italy, Greece and Japan to lead luxury travel demand in 2026, followed by Portugal, Croatia and France. International investments
• [New] Cultural and history-led travel features strongly, with 56% highlighting destinations such as Rome and Japan, while 29% expect rising interest in off-the-beaten-path regions including Puglia and the Dolomites in Italy, and the Loire Valley and Bordeaux in France. TravelDailyNews International

Last updated: 23 January 2026