GSE

Assocarta warns on energy costs and Asian import pressure on Italian paper mills

Assocarta, the Italian paper industry association, told the Miac 2026 trade fair in Lucca that electricity prices have risen 127% since February 2026, to about EUR 80/MWh, pushing the sector's gas bill to EUR 1.3bn, up 50.6% year on year. The association also flagged a 31% rise in Asian paper imports into Italy in the first half of 2026 and projects EU ETS costs of EUR 215m a year, over EUR 1bn over five years, 40% above the 2020-2025 period.

Why this mattersRising energy costs and Asian overcapacity threaten Italian mill utilisation and the paper-for-recycling loop that supplies roughly 70% of domestic mills' raw material.

• Average electricity price up 127% since February 2026, from EUR 35 to about EUR 80 per MWh, Assocarta said
• Sector gas bill reached EUR 1.3bn, up 50.6% versus 2025
• Assocarta forecasts 2026 paper production down 30% versus 2022, with plant utilisation at 75% against a historical 90%
• Asian paper imports into Italy rose more than 31% in the first half of 2026
• Projected EU ETS cost for the sector is EUR 215m a year, over EUR 1bn over five years, 40% above 2020-2025 levels
• Lucca's paper and machinery cluster comprises 324 companies, 11,000 employees and EUR 5.6bn revenue, including over EUR 1.8bn from exports

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