Cisint (Lega): I share Confindustria’s alarm, ETS must be halted for SMEs

Italian lawmaker Anna Maria Cisint of the League has voiced full support for Confindustria president Emanuele Orsini’s warning that Europe is losing sight of competitiveness and risks turning the continent into an industrial desert. In a statement, Cisint said the ecological transition must not become an economic suicide and argued that the EU taxonomy should be revised to give proper consideration back to fossil fuels, which she said remain essential for industry and transport.

Cisint called for the immediate suspension of the Stability Pact, the permanent end of the ETS emissions trading system, and the removal of what she described as “foolish” green rules that are weighing down businesses. According to her, the current regulatory framework is making it harder for companies to compete, invest, and maintain production in Europe.

She framed the issue as broader than the interests of large industrial groups. In her view, the debate is also crucial for farmers, fishermen, and small craftsmen, whom she described as the backbone of local communities and the wider territory. Cisint said these sectors are facing increasing pressure from European policies and need stronger protection to preserve jobs and economic activity.

The eurodeputy also warned against unfair competition from imports arriving from non-EU countries. She said foreign goods should be subject to the same standards imposed on European producers and argued that products that do not meet those requirements should not be allowed into the single market. Her comments reflect a broader political push from the League for tougher trade rules and a rollback of environmental measures seen as burdensome for industry.

Her remarks came in response to Orsini’s intervention at Confindustria’s general assembly, where the industry chief raised alarms over Europe’s ability to remain competitive in a global economy increasingly shaped by energy costs, industrial policy, and regulatory pressure. The exchange underscores ongoing tensions in Italy and across the EU over how to balance climate goals with industrial growth, employment, and economic sovereignty.

The debate over competitiveness, green regulation, and industrial policy has become a central political issue in Europe, as businesses and some lawmakers argue that the pace and cost of environmental reforms are undermining production capacity. Supporters of stricter climate action, however, continue to defend the transition as necessary to meet emissions targets and accelerate long-term innovation.