Casablanca – Trade relations between Morocco and Italy gained notable momentum in the first half of 2025, with Italian exports to the Kingdom rising at a faster pace than Italy’s overall foreign trade. Recent data released by the Italian Chamber of Commerce, through its trade promotion agency Promo Italia, highlights the growing importance of Morocco as a destination for Italian goods and services, while underscoring Italy’s ability to maintain positive results despite global economic headwinds.

Between January and June 2025, Italian exports to Morocco increased by 7% compared to the same period in 2024, reaching about $1.62 billion. This performance stands out against Italy’s global export growth of 2.1%, which brought the country’s total shipments to roughly $348 billion in the first half of the year. Imports into Italy also expanded, rising 4.6% to nearly $323 billion, reflecting a dynamic trade environment and sustained demand for goods and raw materials.

The latest figures confirm Morocco’s growing role within Italy’s trade strategy, as Italian companies target markets outside the European Union to diversify export destinations. The Moroccan economy, which continues to benefit from infrastructure investment and steady industrial growth, offers opportunities in sectors ranging from automotive components and machinery to food products and renewable energy equipment. Italian firms, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, have been active in these areas, leveraging their capacity for innovation and flexibility to capture market share.

Italy’s trade performance with Morocco mirrors broader export trends across key global markets. Within Europe, shipments to Germany rose 2.6% to about $40.9 billion, while exports to Spain jumped more than 12% to approximately $21.5 billion. Outside the European Union, Italian exports to the United Arab Emirates recorded an especially strong surge of 18%, reaching roughly $5.4 billion, signaling Italy’s success in expanding into high-growth markets in the Middle East and beyond.

Regional data from Italy underscores the domestic engines driving this export strength. Lombardy, the country’s leading industrial and financial hub, accounted for nearly $189 billion in total trade during the first half of 2025. Of that amount, exports made up about $91 billion, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 3.4%. Veneto, another key manufacturing center, shipped goods worth around $43 billion, while Tuscany registered exports of about $38 billion, posting an impressive 12% annual rise.

At the provincial level, Milan remained the top exporter, with goods valued at approximately $32 billion, up more than 3% from a year earlier. Florence followed closely with total trade of around $31 billion, including $17.2 billion in exports—a striking 39% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Turin, known for its automotive and high-tech industries, contributed about $14 billion in exports. These figures reflect the breadth of Italy’s industrial base and the capacity of its regional economies to adapt to changing global demand.

Giovanni Da Pozzo, president of Promo Italia, described exports as a strategic pillar of the Italian economy, noting that the country’s small and medium-sized enterprises have played a decisive role in sustaining growth. “Despite a complex global context, Italian companies have achieved positive results thanks to their ability to innovate, adapt, and reach new markets,” he said in a recent statement. Da Pozzo highlighted Morocco, alongside the United Arab Emirates and Brazil, as an emerging market of increasing importance for the “Made in Italy” brand. He also pointed to the strengthening of trade ties with European partners such as Switzerland, Norway, and Ireland as evidence of Italy’s diversified export strategy.

For Morocco, the rise in Italian exports signals deeper economic engagement with one of Europe’s largest economies. The growing trade volume complements Morocco’s own efforts to diversify its international partnerships and attract foreign investment. Italian machinery, equipment, and consumer products help support Morocco’s industrial expansion, while opportunities remain for Moroccan exports of agricultural goods, textiles, and automotive parts to Italy.

As global trade continues to face challenges from shifting supply chains and economic uncertainties, the steady growth of commerce between Morocco and Italy highlights the resilience of bilateral relations. The first half of 2025 has shown that Italian exporters are not only maintaining their presence in established European markets but are also successfully building stronger links with high-potential economies like Morocco, setting the stage for deeper cooperation in the years ahead.