Italy stands at a crossroads regarding gas supply and energy security as the MidCat gas pipeline, conceived to link Catalonia with France and Italy, re-emerges in public discourse. Proponents describe it as a strategic artery that would diversify sources and bolster Europe’s resilience at a time of rising energy volatility. Carlo Bonomi, president of Confindustria, has been explicit about one point: the pipeline is a project that needs to be built. He argues that strengthening cross-border gas corridors could help smooth out price swings and keep Italy’s industry competitive in a fragile European energy market.
In his public remarks, Bonomi highlighted Spain’s capacity to regasify LNG well beyond current demand. He framed Spain as a potential hub with excess infrastructure that could feed a more integrated European gas system. After meeting with the pope, he reiterated his view that Europe should pursue a centralized approach to energy, coordinating storage, transport, and diversification across member states.
He also touched on the position of France during this discussion. The French president has indicated a preference to avoid new pipelines that would duplicate existing routes between Spain and France via Catalonia. Paris has argued that the current streams are underutilized and could be optimized before new trunk lines are pursued. This stance, according to Bonomi, partly stems from France’s broader energy mix, where nuclear power plays a dominant role and France remains a net exporter of electricity. He warned that energy security for the European Union requires shared responsibility and collaborative planning at the bloc level.
A solution for Italy
The timing of these statements coincides with a period of economic strain in Italy, where inflation has surged and energy costs weigh heavily on households and manufacturers. Italy relies substantially on imported gas, and that dependence shapes corporate behavior across a wide range of sectors, especially small and medium-sized enterprises whose operating budgets are tightly stretched by energy bills. In this context, Italian industry is looking for reliable alternatives that can help stabilize costs and preserve production capacity.
Earlier this year a bilateral discussion began to move toward concrete feasibility studies. A collaboration between the Italian gas carrier and its Spanish counterpart, Enagás, has led to a project study focused on an underwater gas link between their shores. The goal is to explore technical, economic, and regulatory pathways for such a pipeline, with multiple scenarios that could fit the needs of both countries and the broader European market. Italian leadership, including Prime Minister Mario Draghi, has signaled that the viability of this infrastructure depends on prevailing conditions and the government’s assessment of risks and benefits.
Livorno and Barcelona
If the project progresses, the most credible model places the link near LNG import facilities in Barcelona and Livorno, two hubs that could receive and regasify gas for onward distribution. This concept has been endorsed by several officials in northern Italy, with broad consideration given to how a cross-border pipeline could integrate into existing and planned regasification capacity across the Mediterranean. The European Commission has not dismissed the idea and has included analysis of the proposal as part of a wider review of Europe’s gas strategy.
Critics, however, have pointed to potential drawbacks. A link of this sort could be slower to complete and more expensive than extending or intensifying transmission along the already established Franco-Spanish corridor. Opponents argue that timelines, cost, and regulatory hurdles might reduce the appeal of a new route, especially if improvements to current infrastructure could deliver near-term benefits. The debate continues as policymakers weigh supply diversification against practicality, cost, and the goal of keeping energy affordable for European households and businesses.