Italy imported US$615.6 billion worth of products from around the world in 2024, increasing by 44.3% compared to $426.5 billion five years earlier during 2020.

Year over year, the overall cost of Italy’s spending on imports fell by -3.8% from $639.9 billion in 2023.

Italy’s top 5 imported products by value were cars, crude oil, petroleum gases, medication mixes in dosage, then blood fractions including antisera. Combined, those 5 products generated nearly one-fifth (19.9%) of Italy’s overall spending on imports during 2023.

Based on the average exchange rate for 2024, Italy’s official currency is the euro which appreciated by 0.02% against the US dollar from 2023 to 2024. The slightly stronger European Union currency since 2020 made Italy’s imports paid for in weaker US dollars in 2024 modestly less expensive when converted starting from euros.

Domestically, the inflation rate for Italy’s average consumer prices was 1.265% in 2024 down from an average 5.903% one year earlier for 2023.

Major Countries Supplying Products Imported by Italy

The latest available country-specific data shows that 65% of products imported by Italy was furnished by exporters in: Germany (14.9% of the Italian total), mainland China (8.7%), France (8%), Netherlands (6.4%), Spain (6%), Belgium (4.59%), United States of America (4.55%), Poland (2.8%), Switzerland (2.77%), Austria (2.2%), Türkiye (2.1%) and Algeria (1.9%).

From a continental perspective, almost two-thirds (64.3%) of Italy’s total imports by value in 2024 were purchased from fellow European countries. Asian trade partners accounted for 22.1% of imports purchased by Italy while 6.1% worth originated from exporters in Africa. Another 5.4% was provided by shippers in North America.

Smaller percentages came from Latin America (1.9%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, and Oceania (0.2%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

Italy is a member in good standing of the European Union. EU member states furnished a robust 61.9% of Italian imports.

Given Italy’s population of 59 million people, its total $615.6 billion in 2024 imports translates to roughly $10,400 in yearly product demand from every person in the south European country. That dollar amount lags the average $10,900 per capita during 2023.

Italy’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Italy’s import purchases during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Italy.

1. Mineral fuels including oil: US$73.2 billion (11.9% of total imports)
2. Vehicles: $59.6 billion (9.7%)
3. Machinery including computers: $55.4 billion (9%)
4. Electrical machinery, equipment: $49.6 billion (8.1%)
5. Pharmaceuticals: $33 billion (5.4%)
6. Organic chemicals: $31.1 billion (5.1%)
7. Plastics, plastic articles: $25.6 billion (4.2%)
8. Iron, steel: $22.9 billion (3.7%)
9. Gems, precious metals: $20 billion (3.2%)
10. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $17.5 billion (2.8%)

Italy’s top 10 import product categories represent almost two-thirds (64%) of the overall value of Italian product purchases from other countries.

Fastest growing among Italy’s top 10 import categories from 2023 to 2024 was the organic chemicals category via its 18.5% increase.

In second place were imports of gems and precious metals (up 17.3% from 2023).

Italy’s imports under the optical, technical and medical apparatus category expanded by 1.8% year over year.

The severest declining import categories were mineral fuels including oil (down -21.9% from 2023), electrical machinery and equipment (down -10.3%), and iron or steel (down -10%).

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented under the sections below is at the more granular 4-digit level.

Italy’s Top Mineral Fuels Imports and Related Products

In 2024, Italian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.

1. Crude oil: US$29.1 billion (down -24.2% from 2023)
2. Petroleum gases: $25.3 billion (down -23.6%)
3. Processed petroleum oils: $11.2 billion (down -2.2%)
4. Electrical energy: $5.6 billion (down -22.5%)
5. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $859.2 million (down -57.6%)
6. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $433.9 million (down -3.8%)
7. Petroleum oil residues: $226.4 million (down -32.4%)
8. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $132.1 million (up 20.4%)
9. Peat: $102.3 million (up 8.7%)
10. Coke, semi-coke: $29.1 million (down -82.9%)

Among these import subcategories, Italian purchases of petroleum jelly and mineral waxes (up 20.4%) and peat (up 8.7%) grew from 2023 to 2024.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of mineral fuels-related imports among Italian businesses and consumers.

Italy’s Top Vehicles Imports

In 2024, Italian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles and related products.

1. Cars: US$36.6 billion (up 0.7% from 2023)
2. Automobile parts/accessories: $9.5 billion (down -11.8%)
3. Trucks: $4.1 billion (up 1.8%)
4. Tractors: $2.4 billion (down -25.2%)
5. Motorcycles: $1.57 billion (down -6.1%)
6. Public-transport vehicles: $1.43 billion (up 6.7%)
7. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $1.1 billion (down -9.7%)
8. Trailers: $672.5 million (down -17%)
9. Automobile bodies: $228.2 million (up 20.6%)
10. Special purpose vehicles: $192.4 million (up 10.2%)

Among these import subcategories, Italian purchases of automobile bodies (up 20.6%), special purpose vehicles (up 10.2%) then public-transport vehicles (up 6.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among Italian businesses and consumers.

Italy’s Top Machinery Imports Including Computers

In 2024, Italian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machines including computers.

1. Computers, optical readers: US$6.3 billion (up 5.6% from 2023)
2. Turbo-jets: $3 billion (up 24.4%)
3. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $2.9 billion (up 2.3%)
4. Air or vacuum pumps: $2.4 billion (up 0.3%)
5. Transmission shafts, gears, clutches: $2.13 billion (down -4.7%)
6. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $2.13 billion (down -0.5%)
7. Piston engine parts: $2.1 billion (down -9.3%)
8. Liquid pumps and elevators: $2.05 billion (down -2.1%)
9. Miscellaneous machinery: $2.04 billion (down -5.79%)
10. Air conditioners: $1.96 billion (down -9.9%)

Among these import subcategories, Italian purchases of turbo-jets (up 24.4%), computers including optical readers (up 5.6%) then taps, valves or similar appliances (up 2.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Italian businesses and consumers.

Italy’s Top Electrical Products Imports

In 2024, Italian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronic equipment including consumer electronics.

1. Phone devices including smartphones: US$11.1 billion (down -6.3% from 2023)
2. Electrical converters/power units: $3.5 billion (down -15.6%)
3. Electric storage batteries: $3.1 billion (down -33.4%)
4. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $3 billion (down -7.1%)
5. Insulated wire/cable: $2.9 billion (down -3.5%)
6. Electric motors, generators: $2.2 billion (down -1.6%)
7. Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $2.14 billion (down -3.5%)
8. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $2.1 billion (down -35.7%)
9. Electric circuit parts, fuses, switches: $1.8 billion (down -10.8%)
10. Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $1.79 billion (down -8.5%)

Among these import subcategories, Italian purchases of electric motors and generators (down -1.6%) recorded the most modest drop from 2023 to 2024.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Italian businesses and consumers.
 

See also Italy’s Top Trading Partners, Italy’s Top 10 Major Export Companies, Italy’s Top 10 Exports and Germany’s Top 10 Exports

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles, Central Intelligence Agency. Accessed on April 10, 2025

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on April 10, 2025

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 10, 2025

X-rates.com, Exchange Rates: Euro to US Dollar (monthly average 2024). Accessed on April 10, 2025