Falling from the core: Italy’s supply chain amidst the automotive transition

This article analyses Italy’s transition from a core to a semi-peripheral position within the automotive global value chain (GVC). The study combines descriptive statistics drawn from both published and original datasets to examine how these transformations have affected Italian automotive firms. The findings confirm the downgrading of Italy’s automotive industry to a semi-peripheral status. However, this trajectory is not homogeneous across the value chain, as the two main subsectors – vehicle assembly and auto parts supply – display divergent dynamics. The Italian automotive supply chain has shown strong resilience and a growing degree of independence from Fiat-FCA-Stellantis, Italy’s sole mass car manufacturer. This evolution is reflected in rising employment, expanding exports, and increasing internationalisation, alongside a comparatively low level of foreign control. These features highlight the distinctive character of Italy’s transition within the global value chain.