"REDUCING FIXED COSTS FOR FAMILIES TO SAVE CONSUMPTION" | Carlo Sangalli, President of Confcommercio

The president of Confcom on the Unione Sarda: over a thousand association executives in Villasimius. Transport and ETS restrict Sardinian businesses, "disadvantages of insularity must be eliminated."

The business world is changing rapidly: technology, artificial intelligence, skyrocketing costs for transportation and services. The exchange of receipts and POS terminals represents nearly €12 billion. These issues must be addressed with a broad perspective. And as has been the case for years, Confcommercio, now Confcom, led by Carlo Sangalli, has found Sardinia to be the perfect place to bring its leadership together and develop directions for the future. Not the distant future, but the near future. Over 1.000 leaders of the Confcom system's regional and trade associations, representing businesses in commerce, tourism, services, transportation, culture, and the professions, are meeting from Thursday until tomorrow at the Tanka Village in Villasimius for the annual System Conference. Geopolitics and Europe's new role, artificial intelligence, the transformation of representation, and the future of business are some of the topics that will be addressed and analyzed during the meeting. Italy's "Great Beauty" will also be on display, with a discussion dedicated to the value of cultural heritage and the story of UNESCO. The three-day discussion among the confederal system's leaders will also feature institutional representatives, experts, and key figures from the economic and social worlds, with focused discussions on labor and welfare, communications, tourism, culture, transportation, and logistics. The conference will be opened and closed by President Carlo Sangalli, who, answering questions from the Unione Sarda, addresses the main challenges facing the economy, businesses, and regions, with a particular focus on Sardinia.

President Sangalli, the economy is holding up, but energy prices are once again a concern, despite recent government measures and the decisions of some industry giants, starting with Eni. What is the greatest risk for consumers and businesses today?

"The high energy prices, as the latest data demonstrate, have reignited inflation just as consumption and confidence are trying to strengthen. According to our estimates, if the energy crisis does not subside, we will lose €6,5 billion in consumption and three-tenths of GDP in 2027. Furthermore, this year alone, businesses in the retail, tourism, and hospitality sectors risk a cumulative increase of over €1 billion on their energy bills. Immediate, structural measures are needed for renewables, sustainable nuclear power, grids, storage, and electricity pricing. Energy must not become a "hidden tax" on growth."

Confcommercio reports the growing burden of mandatory spending. Do families still have the capacity to consume, or are they once again giving up the superfluous?

In 2026, housing, energy, transportation, insurance, and other mandatory expenses will account for 42% of consumption and approximately €9.700 per capita, squeezing discretionary spending. Despite this, families are demonstrating significant resilience, seeking to maintain consumption levels by reshaping their spending patterns and, above all, limiting the cost of more traditional goods. In addition to energy measures, tax and tariff measures must be implemented to eliminate distortions in fixed costs.

Local businesses continue to decline. How can we save shops in small towns and suburbs?

We need a national strategy for urban regeneration, with more favorable taxation, support for commercial rentals, access to credit, innovation, and the enhancement of retail districts. Local businesses, especially in small towns, not only play a vital economic role, but also foster safety, social interaction, and quality of life. Therefore, combating commercial desertification also means combating depopulation. This is the goal of Cities, the Confcommercio project that places the service sector at the heart of urban regeneration, which we will be carrying forward at the end of October in Bari with the second edition of "InCittà." Without local businesses, local areas become more fragile.

Let's move on to Sardinia: how much do insularity, transport, and energy impact the competitiveness of the island's businesses?

They are a significant burden because they increase supply and mobility costs and reduce market opportunities. The cost of the ETS (Emission Trading System) has been added to the structural challenges, making maritime connections to the island even more expensive. The disadvantages of insularity, as the Constitution states, must be eliminated, certainly not reinforced. We are not asking for advantages for Sardinian businesses, but for a level playing field.

Tourism and commerce: can Sardinia transform its large summer influxes into more stable prosperity for the entire region?

Certainly, but we need to extend the season and better distribute the flows. Sardinia possesses the environment, culture, food and wine, villages, and local identities to attract visitors well beyond the summer months. We need to better connect tourism, commerce, and services, and invest in accessibility, quality of offerings, and events. Tourism must increasingly become the local economy, not just a seasonal one.

At the programmatic conference, you'll also discuss the future of businesses. What is the current priority that the government and politicians should address to support small businesses?

The priority is to create a more favorable environment for entrepreneurs: less tax burden and red tape, competitively priced energy, accessible credit, and support for innovation, investment, and training. Above all, we need simple, stable, and predictable rules to plan for the future. On taxation, in particular, we have asked the government to reduce personal income tax on the middle class, strengthen tax relief on wages and productivity, and introduce a flat-rate tax on commercial rents for those who reduce their rent, thus also supporting neighborhood shops.

You know Sardinia well and return every year for the Confcommercio Conference: what message do you want to leave Sardinian entrepreneurs?

A message of trust and, above all, gratitude. Doing business in Sardinia means facing additional challenges but also leveraging an extraordinary heritage of identity, quality, and entrepreneurial ability. Confcommercio will continue to represent its needs. Sardinian businesses—and all Italian service sector businesses—are not just part of the economy: they are an essential part of the social stability of the regions.

Mr. President, what is the number one enemy of trade today: high prices, high energy prices, tax pressure, or the transformation of consumption?

These are different problems that often overlap. But the real enemy is the loss of confidence: of families, who postpone spending, and of entrepreneurs, who give up investing. Energy, taxes, and bureaucracy must be addressed precisely to rebuild this confidence. The transformation of consumption, however, is not to be feared: for innovative businesses, change can become an opportunity.

by Giuseppe Deiana

from the Unione Sarda of October 2, 2026