Government approves decree for road haulage and agriculture

The Council of Ministers met today to approve a decree concerning the road haulage and agriculture sectors, both under pressure due to rising costs. The meeting, convened by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, took place at 12:00. The measure comes after days of protests and blockades by hauliers.

In Calabria, the Federation of Hauliers (Fedralog) announced the suspension of the road haulage stoppage, a decision that follows the government's announcement of a support decree. The decree is expected to contain measures to address high fuel prices, with the government having already put an additional 105 million euros on the table for the sector.

The crisis in the road haulage sector erupted following the surge in fuel prices, which have reached record levels, with diesel on highways nearing 2.3 euros per liter. This increase has eroded the profit margins of transport companies, especially the smaller ones, pushing them to protest. The first mobilizations began in recent weeks, with road blockades and demonstrations in various Italian regions, particularly in the South.

The government, through the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini, had already announced its willingness to unlock resources for the sector, setting up a discussion table. The protests have nevertheless continued, with blockades scheduled at least until October 27th in Calabria and Campania. The approval of the decree law represents the institutional attempt to respond to a crisis that risks paralyzing national logistics and further fueling inflation, which already stood at 4.2% in September.