Doing Business in Italy During Strikes and Protests
Italy is one of Europe's most important markets for buyers, suppliers, trade fairs and client visits, and it is also a country where strikes are common and tightly regulated. With cost-of-living protests reaching Milan in October 2026, many business owners are asking how to plan around disruption. The good news: Italian strikes are usually announced in advance and limited in time. This guide shows you how to use that to your advantage.
Key takeaways
- Strikes in Italy's essential public services follow Law 146/1990: advance notice, usually at least 10 days, and guaranteed minimum services.
- Official strike calendars let you see many transport strikes before you book.
- Public transport strikes are often limited to set hours, with guaranteed travel windows.
- Protests in city centers, like the October 2026 clashes near Milan's Piazza Duomo, call for flexible meeting plans.
- EU passenger and consumer rules still protect you and your customers when things go wrong.
As of late October 2026, Italy is part of a wider wave of cost-of-living protests across Europe. On 17 October 2026, demonstrations took place in several European countries at once, and in Italy demonstrators clashed with police around Piazza Duomo in Milan. These protests are not one Europe-wide movement: demands differ by country, and France saw the largest turnout. For Italy, the background includes high living costs and energy prices. In the first half of 2026, Italy had the highest average wholesale power price among major European markets, at about €127 per MWh.
For a small business, the practical question is simpler than the politics: how do you keep trips, events, orders and deliveries on schedule when strikes and protests are possible? Italy's legal framework for strikes actually makes this easier than in many countries, if you know where to look. This article is general information, not legal advice. Check official Italian sources, your carriers and qualified advisers for your situation.
How strikes work in Italy
Strikes in essential public services, such as transport, health, schools and others, are governed by Law 146/1990. The law balances the right to strike with the rights of the public, and it has three features that matter for business planning:
- Advance notice: unions must give notice before a strike, generally at least 10 days ahead.
- Minimum services: a guaranteed level of service must be maintained during the strike.
- Oversight: an independent body, the Commissione di garanzia, oversees compliance and publishes a strike calendar. The transport ministry also lists upcoming transport strikes.
In practice, many Italian strikes are limited to set hours, for example part of a day, rather than an open-ended shutdown. On public transport, there are often guaranteed travel windows, typically at commuting times, when services must run.
Protests are a different matter. A demonstration in a city center does not follow the same notice rules as a transport strike and can close streets or squares with less warning. That is why you need two kinds of planning: one for scheduled strikes and one for unscheduled disruption.
Pro tip
Before you book any trip to Italy, check the official strike calendars for your travel dates. Because notice is usually required at least 10 days in advance, you can often see a transport strike before you commit to a flight, train or hotel.
Planning business travel in Italy around strikes
Most strikes that affect business travelers involve transport: national rail, local buses and metro, airports or airline staff. Here is how to plan each part of the trip.
| Service | What a strike often looks like | How to plan |
|---|---|---|
| National and regional trains | Strike for set hours, with some trains guaranteed | Check the operator's list of guaranteed trains and travel inside those windows |
| Local buses, trams and metro | Reduced service outside guaranteed travel windows | Schedule meetings so you travel during guaranteed windows, or walk or take a taxi |
| Flights and airports | Some cancellations during the strike hours | Book flights outside strike hours or on an alternative date |
| City centers on protest days | Street closures, police presence, slow traffic | Move meetings away from main squares or switch to video calls |
Use the guaranteed windows
The single most useful habit is to plan around guaranteed travel windows. If a local transport strike is announced, find out which hours services are guaranteed and schedule your movements inside them. A 10 a.m. meeting may be hard to reach; an 8:30 a.m. one inside a guaranteed window may be easy. Times vary by city and operator, so check the local transport company's announcement for the specific strike.
Choose where you stay
On strike days, location matters more than usual. A hotel within walking distance of your client's office, the trade fair or the main station reduces your dependence on public transport and taxis, which get busy when buses and trains stop.
Common mistake
Booking a tight connection on a strike day. A flight that lands just before the strike hours start, followed by a train, can leave you stuck if anything runs late. On or near announced strike days, leave a generous buffer or travel the day before.
Your rights when trains and flights are disrupted
Business travelers have the same passenger rights as tourists. Here is a short summary of the EU rules that apply in Italy.
- Flights (EU Regulation 261/2004): for flights departing from the EU, and flights into the EU on EU airlines, the airline must provide care and offer a refund or rerouting when a flight is canceled, whatever the cause. Compensation of €250 to €600 may also be due for long delays or late cancellations, unless extraordinary circumstances apply. Strikes by the airline's own staff are not treated as extraordinary; air traffic control strikes usually are.
- Trains (EU Regulation 2021/782): you are generally entitled to 25% of the ticket price for a delay of 60 to 119 minutes and 50% for 120 minutes or more, plus refund or rerouting options.
- Cross-border trains: trains between Italy and neighboring countries can be affected by strikes in any country on the route.
Our guide to business travel during French strikes covers how to claim in more detail; the same EU rules apply in Italy. Keep every ticket, cancellation message and receipt, because claims depend on evidence.
Step by step: a strike plan for your Italian business dealings
- Watch the calendars. Check the Commissione di garanzia strike calendar and the transport ministry's list for any dates when you travel, host events or expect deliveries.
- Book flexibly. Choose fares and hotel rates that allow free changes near known strike dates.
- Time your movements. Plan travel inside guaranteed windows on public transport strike days.
- Pick central, walkable bases. Stay close to where your meetings take place.
- Keep a hybrid option ready. Have a video call link set up for every important meeting in case you or your counterpart cannot travel.
- Warn customers and suppliers early. If a strike may affect a delivery or a visit, say so before the day, not after.
- Keep records. Save tickets, messages and receipts for refunds, compensation or expense claims.
Hypothetical example
Imagine "Sara," who runs a small US interior design studio and is visiting furniture suppliers near Milan. Twelve days before her trip, she sees a local public transport strike announced for one of her meeting days. She moves her first supplier visit to fit within the guaranteed morning window, books a hotel close to the second supplier and asks the third to meet by video instead. Her visit goes ahead with no lost appointments. Names and details are made up.
Events, trade fairs and client visits
Italy hosts many trade fairs and industry events, and Milan in particular attracts buyers from around the world. If you are exhibiting or hosting, strikes and protests deserve a place in your event plan.
- Check strike dates before signing. When choosing event dates or booking a stand, look at the strike calendar and avoid days with major transport action if you can.
- Read the contract. Venue and hotel contracts may include force majeure or strike clauses. What the venue owes you, and what you owe it, depends on the wording. Ask questions before you sign.
- Tell attendees about alternatives. Share walking routes, taxi options and guaranteed travel windows ahead of time.
- Plan for late arrivals. Start key sessions later and record talks for those who cannot attend in person.
Pro tip
Ask your Italian partners. Local suppliers, agents and clients usually know which strikes will matter and which will barely be noticed. A quick message the week before a trip often gives you better guidance than any calendar.
Selling to and buying from Italy during disruption
Strikes at ports, carriers or postal services can delay shipments in both directions. If you sell online to Italian consumers, EU rules still apply: unless agreed otherwise, goods must be delivered within 30 days, and consumers have a 14-day withdrawal right for online purchases. If a delivery may be late, tell customers proactively, offer alternatives such as a different carrier and keep records of what you communicated.
If you buy from Italian suppliers, ask them how upcoming strikes might affect production or shipping. Consider ordering earlier ahead of busy seasons, and keep a small buffer of stock for products you cannot afford to run out of.
Costs and financial background
Living costs are a key driver of the current protests. Euro area inflation was 3.8% in September 2026, the highest since 2023, according to Eurostat, with energy inflation at 18.9%. Higher costs for Italian suppliers can feed into their prices, so build some room into budgets and quotes. If you also follow Italian financial markets, the BTP-Bund spread, the gap between Italian and German 10-year government bond yields, is a common measure of Italian risk. Check live data from financial news sources rather than relying on older figures. This is general information, not investment advice.
Your Italy strike and protest checklist
- Check the official strike calendars before booking travel or events
- Note guaranteed travel windows for local transport strikes
- Book flexible fares and walkable hotels near strike dates
- Keep meetings away from main squares on protest days
- Prepare a video call option for every important meeting
- Read force majeure and strike clauses in venue and hotel contracts
- Warn customers early about possible delivery delays
- Check your government's official travel advice before each trip
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance are strikes announced in Italy?
For essential public services, including transport, Law 146/1990 requires unions to give advance notice, generally at least 10 days. Strikes are listed in the Commissione di garanzia calendar, and the transport ministry lists upcoming transport strikes.
Do trains still run during a strike in Italy?
Usually some do. Minimum services must be guaranteed, and strikes are often limited to set hours. Rail and local transport operators typically publish guaranteed services or travel windows, so check the operator's announcement for your date.
Is it safe to do business in Milan during protests?
Most protests affect specific areas and times. Avoid demonstrations, follow local news and check your government's official travel advice, such as the US State Department or UK FCDO, before you go.
Related reading
The bottom line
Doing business in Italy during strikes is mostly a matter of planning. Strikes in essential services must be announced in advance, minimum services are guaranteed and many actions are limited to set hours, so checking the official calendars before you book removes much of the risk. Protests are less predictable, so keep meetings flexible and have a video option ready.
As of late October 2026, cost-of-living pressures remain high, so expect more action days. Check strike calendars, carrier updates and official travel advice before each trip, and keep your customers informed whenever deliveries may be affected.
