“I enter [this fair] with optimism that I see in these companies. The moments of difficulty, even from an economic standpoint, geopolitical uncertainty, and consumption changes […] can bring a competitive advantage to Portugal,” declared João Rui Ferreira, the Secretary of State for the Economy, during a press conference at MICAM, taking place in Milan, Italy, until Sunday.
According to the Secretary of State, the recently concluded customs agreement between the United States and the European Union (EU) could “open a competitive scenario” for companies, particularly in the footwear industry.
The government emphasized that this is not the time to disinvest in the North American market; quite the opposite, considering that Portugal will have a lower tariff than other markets.
On July 27, the European Union and the United States reached a trade agreement that provides for the imposition of 15% customs tariffs on European products.
For the government official, the presence of the executive at international fairs is also a sign of concern and consultation with companies, highlighting that the closure of factories in this sector is always worrying news, although he mentioned that these are “isolated cases” within a universe of 1,500 companies.
Earlier this month, it was announced that the IFF II footwear factory in Oliveira de Azeméis was closing, leaving 80 people unemployed.
The Secretary of State for the Economy assured a thorough understanding of the business environment and emphasized that Portugal has all the factors that generate a sense of optimism.
According to him, this involves centers for sustainable transformation technology, the use of renewable materials, the reuse of end-of-life footwear, as well as focusing on design and quality.
“It’s no longer just the Portuguese companies that want to be at this fair. This fair also wants Portuguese companies to be here,” he insisted.
MICAM, celebrating 100 editions, features over 1,000 brands and expects around 42,000 visitors.
The event includes 42 Portuguese companies.
MICAM, the Milan footwear fair, considered the most important by the industry, starts today and runs until Tuesday. Portugal is represented by 42 companies that have “done their homework,” preparing for challenging times.
Lusa | 10:48 – 07/09/2025
According to data provided by APICCAPS – the Portuguese Association of Footwear, Components, Leather Goods, and Derivatives, in the first half of 2025, Portuguese footwear exports increased by 3.7% in value to 843 million euros.
Between January and June, 36 million pairs were exported, a 5.4% increase.
In 2024, footwear cluster exports reached 2.147 billion euros.
Last year, Portugal produced 80 million pairs of shoes, with 68 million pairs exported, valued at 1.724 billion euros.
During this period, Portuguese footwear was sold in more than 170 countries, with Belize being the latest destination.
The Shoe Cluster Strategic Plan foresees an investment of 600 million euros by 2030.
