Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is expected to visit Azerbaijan in the coming weeks, marking a further step in bilateral engagement between the two countries.
The visit, expected to take place between May and June, is part of a framework of ongoing political and economic cooperation.
Energy is widely seen as a central pillar of relations between Rome and Baku, with Azerbaijan supplying natural gas to Italy via the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), which is part of the broader Southern Gas Corridor linking the Caspian region to Europe.
Luca Schieppati, TAP managing director, told Euronews that since the start of commercial operations, it has delivered over 47.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) of natural gas to Italy.
He added that, according to Italian joint-stock company SNAM SpA, “in 2025 gas transported via TAP covered around 16% of Italy’s total gas demand.”
Schieppati said that TAP has delivered more than 57 bcm to Europe overall, contributing to the diversification of supply routes and the resilience of the European gas system.
He also noted that Italy is the primary destination for Azerbaijani gas transported through TAP and a key entry point for pipeline supplies into the European market.
'Reliability core of our performance'
Operational data indicate that TAP accounted for around 16.5% of Italy’s total gas imports in 2025 and approximately 25% of pipeline gas imports, excluding liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Recent upgrades at the compressor station in Greece have increased long-term capacity by 1.2 bcm per year, strengthening the system’s transport capability.
Annual delivery figures show steady flows in recent years: 6.83 bcm in 2021, 9.69 bcm in 2022, 9.37 bcm in 2023, 9.76 bcm in 2024, and 9.46 bcm in 2025, with more than 2.4 bcm already delivered so far this year.
“Reliability has been at the core of our performance, with 100% system availability maintained since the start of commercial operations,” Schieppati said.
While TAP operates as a commercial and independent transmission system operator, Schieppati said that “high-level bilateral engagements between Italy and Azerbaijan provide an opportunity to reaffirm long-standing cooperation in the energy sector and the strategic importance of the Southern Gas Corridor.”
Simona Scotti, Research Fellow at the Topchubashov Think Tank, told Euronews that “the visit would follow previous bilateral and multilateral exchanges, including participation in COP29 and earlier official visits”.
She added that although the agenda has not been confirmed, energy cooperation is likely to remain an important component of the broader relationship, alongside other areas of economic and political cooperation.
“Italy is currently Azerbaijan’s leading trade partner, with cooperation spanning energy and expanding into sectors such as defence and aviation, reflecting a gradual diversification of bilateral ties in recent years," Scotti said.
