Sardinian business costs are up 34% compared to the rest of Italy: "The government should address the disadvantages of island status."

"Sardinian businesses," operating on an island, "face higher costs estimated at 34% higher than companies on the mainland." This is the first finding to emerge from the Reformers' conference, titled "How Much Does It Cost Us to Live in Sardinia?" , organized in Cagliari by former parliamentarian and party leader Michele Cossa. He opened the proceedings with a premise that became the common thread throughout the roundtable: "Insularity is not an issue of identity nor a complaint, but a structural condition whose disadvantages must be eliminated by the Government, as also established in the Constitution with the amendment to Article 119 passed by Parliament in 2022. Yet, four years later, no compensation has been seen."

The 34% macro figure represents "the overall competitive disadvantage," explained Andrea Giuricin, professor of Transport Economics at the University of Milan Bicocca. "This amount," he said, " includes the ETS, the environmental tax introduced by Europe, and logistics and transport costs."

Another figure was brought up by the regional councilor for transport, Barbara Manca, who spoke at the conference alongside former governor Francesco Pigliaru. Manca referenced another study, by the Interuniversity Center Cirem, "according to which freight and passenger transportation costs in Sardinia amount to approximately €660 million annually."

Pigliaru instead illustrated Corsica's "winning model," which has received Brussels' approval for state aid to support freight transport in terms of guaranteed seats and controlled costs.

Massimiliano Manca, an engineer and logistics expert, also participated, providing additional information. Aldo Salaris, Sardinian coordinator of the Reformers and regional councilor, closed the conference.