Fuel prices are putting Sardinian truckers on their knees: "The sector is collapsing, businesses are at risk."
The island is paying an increasingly high price. The impact of the ETS system and the critical issues related to territorial continuity also weigh heavily.Per restare aggiornato entra nel nostro canale Whatsapp
The road haulage sector in Sardinia is collapsing . This is reported by the Autotrasportatori Sardi Riuniti association , which describes it as an "unsustainable situation."
Weighing like a millstone on an already critical situation – further aggravated by international tensions and the war in the Middle East – are three main factors that have significantly increased operating costs in recent months: the increase in fuel prices , the persistent critical issues linked to territorial continuity and the impact of the ETS (Emission Trading System) introduced by the European Union, which weighs on maritime transport and the entire logistics chain.
The combination of these factors is seriously challenging Sardinian road haulage companies , already penalized by their challenging island geography, which limits their competitiveness compared to operators in the rest of the country. But with the widespread increase in transportation costs, the difficulties in ensuring regular and economically sustainable services are also growing. But the hardships don't end there: the crisis's repercussions are spreading throughout the entire regional economic system, with the real risk of rising consumer goods prices and slowdowns in the distribution of goods.
As the ASR emphasizes, "many companies are now considering applying for CIGO (Ordinary Wage Supplementation Fund) due to the economic unsustainability of their transport operations. This is an extremely worrying scenario, which directly affects workers in the sector and represents a concrete sign of a crisis that can no longer be postponed."
The association's demands include structural measures to ensure territorial continuity, with stable and sustainable tariffs; compensation measures for the increased costs resulting from the ETS system; the elimination of the ETS system for connections to and from Sardinia, to avoid a penalty deemed unfair; and the immediate opening of a discussion forum with the Government and the Sardinia Region. " We cannot continue to sustain costs that put us out of business ," the association states. "The ETS system is disproportionately impacting an island territory like Sardinia, shifting costs that, in effect, fall almost exclusively on Sardinian businesses and citizens. Without immediate action, many businesses risk closure and will be forced to resort to layoffs."
(Unioneonline/vf)