According to the Italian automotive industry association (Anfia), Italy's new car registrations amounted to 128,388 units in June, down 24.4 percent year on year, indicating the biggest year-on-year decline this year after the contraction of 26.7 percent in March. In the first half of 2012, new car registrations in Italy dipped by 19.7 percent year on year to 814,179 units.
Anfia president Roberto Vavassori commented, "This is the seventh consecutive double digit year-on-year decrease, bringing the Italian market down to levels similar to those of 1980. The collapse in demand caused by the recession needs time to be reversed, while the austerity measures undertaken continue to put Italians under pressure." Nevertheless, he added, "The first steps aimed at an economic rebirth have been made both at Italian and European levels."