The introduction of a 30% tariff on European products by the United States starting August 1st – as announced by US President Donald Trump – would lead to a reduction in Italian exports to the States of 12.4 billion euros, with a negative impact of over 1 billion from Southern Italy , putting approximately 150,000 jobs at risk.

This is the estimate – based on Svimez data – contained in a study by the "Evolution Forum Business School on SMEs" Observatory on a panel of over 2,000 micro and small entrepreneurs (i.e. with a turnover of up to 1 million euros and fewer than 5 employees).

And, according to the study, "such a drastic application of tariffs would have a dramatic effect on the entire economy, but the Southern regions would lose the most GDP, primarily Sardinia , Calabria, Sicily and Puglia."

Trump's letter to the European Union leadership —it is emphasized—has caused considerable concern for Italian SMEs, especially those in the South. Indeed, if US-EU tariffs were set at 30%, more than one in two Italian small and medium-sized entrepreneurs estimate it would be a catastrophe, with losses of up to 36% on their companies' turnover by the end of the year. However, if tariffs were set at 10%, they could still be saved . And the uncertainty of the exhausting negotiations between the US and the EU certainly doesn't help the recovery.

For this reason, «the level of concern remains very high and those who will suffer the most, according to the leaders of our SMEs, will be everyone, but above all the companies in the South (45%) and in particular, as mentioned, those in the Island, Calabria, Sicily and Puglia».