"The excellent result in May (+6.3%) brings non-EU exports from 3.9% in the first four months to +4.4% in the first five months, thanks to energy and precious metals. The US declines in May, with a -3.6%: we must hope this is only a temporary sign. Strategic destinations in the Made in Italy Export Plan, such as Mercosur (+21.3%) and Africa (+22.4%), are performing well." 

This is the statement by ICE president Matteo Zoppas, referring to the data released by Istat regarding non-EU foreign trade in May 2026 and published a few days ago (see EFA News). Zoppas is 52 years old, having been born in 1974: he is a descendant of a historic family of entrepreneurs in the home appliance sector. His career unfolded between the investment bank Mediobanca and Confindustria Veneto, of which he served as president (2017-2019). Since 2023 he has been the presidente of Ice-The Italian Trade Agency, the body through which the Government fosters the consolidation and economic-commercial development of Italian companies in foreign markets: Ice also acts as the agency responsible for promoting the attraction of foreign investment to Italy.

"ISTAT data on non-EU exports for May," Zoppas continues, "confirm the strength of Made in Italy on global markets: compared to May 2025, exports increased by 6.3%. In the first five months of 2026, the overall trend remains positive and strengthens, reaching 4.4% from the 3.9% recorded up until April, confirming the resilience and responsiveness of the Italian manufacturing sector. The strong increase in energy sales recorded in May contributed to the increase, but even excluding this component, growth in non-EU exports would have stood at 4.1%."

According to Zoppas , May's growth was significantly driven by intermediate goods (+22.9%) and capital goods (+4.8%), a sign that Italian manufacturing continues to be an irreplaceable partner in international value chains. The strongest performances were recorded in strategic markets, as demonstrated by the extraordinary result of Mercosur countries compared to May 2025, which posted a +21.3% increase, alongside the excellent performance of Africa (+22.4%) and other large markets such as China (+24.1%) and India (+6.3%).

"When growth diplomacy and the national system work together, results for our businesses are quick to arrive," adds the ICE president. "On the other hand, the international scenario requires us to maintain a close focus on certain traditional markets and complex geopolitical areas. While Switzerland continues to grow (+57.9% in May), we are seeing a slowdown in the United States, which recorded a -3.6% after +12.1% in April, combined with declines in the United Kingdom (-3.5%) and Turkey (-23%)."

"The Middle East data, which recorded a 12.3% decline, is particularly concerning," Zoppas remarks. "We obviously welcome every sign and effort toward peace in that region, but it will still take time to recover from the economic instability associated with the conflict and the resulting trade tensions. For this very reason, the role of ITA, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the entire Government, remains to protect our historic markets and, at the same time, accelerate geographical diversification, supporting our companies with tailored tools to address the current global volatility. The €700 billion mark in overall exports is getting ever closer," Zoppas concludes.