Confartigianato, the Italian crafts and small business association, warned that U.S. tariffs could endanger up to $6.4 billion in Italian exports, a significant portion of Italy's total trade with the US. The association highlights that the introduction of tariffs would disproportionately impact Italy's small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are particularly vulnerable due to their reliance on exports to foreign markets.

The trade dispute between the European Union and the United States, primarily triggered by the U.S. decision to impose tariffs on a range of European goods, has been a source of growing concern. In addition to agriculture, fashion, and automotive sectors, Italian manufacturers of high-quality, handcrafted goods are at risk of seeing their products become more expensive in the U.S. market.