Italy - Italia Digitale 2026

Italia Digitale 2026 was adopted by the Italian Government and it is embedded in Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). This strategy aligns with the European Commission’s Digital Compass 2030 but aims to achieve its goals on a more accelerated timeline, leveraging the substantial financial resources provided by the PNRR.

Strategic focus areas and implementation approach

• Space and Industry: Strengthening Italy’s position in space exploration and commercial space economy.
• Artificial Intelligence: Applying AI across private industrial systems, services, research, and public administration.
• Advanced Technology: Investing in microelectronics and semiconductors to ensure technological autonomy.
• Regulatory Framework: Shaping national and European regulations to foster digital market competition, data governance, and intellectual property protection.

Strategy implementation approach is to execute PNRR projects, emphasizing: simplification of central and local state interactions through platforms like “PA Digitale 2026”; support for local public administrations via the Transformation Office and extensive use of secure, modern cloud infrastructures to replace outdated local data centers.

Key objectives to be achieved by 2026

• Ultra-Broadband Connectivity: Ensuring nationwide coverage of ultra-broadband fixed and mobile networks to enable Italians to work, learn, and live anywhere with high-speed internet access.
• Digital Education and Healthcare: Connecting all schools and healthcare facilities with ultra-broadband to provide ubiquitous access to educational content and healthcare services.
• Cloud Adoption and Digital Services: Transitioning to secure and efficient cloud technologies across both private and public sectors to enhance the security and reliability of digital services.
• Public Digital Platforms: Developing fully digitized and interconnected public service platforms, following the “once only” principle, where citizens need to provide information to public authorities only once.
• High-Tech Investments: Investing selectively in high-tech sectors and fostering connections between academic research and the startup ecosystem to enhance Italy’s intellectual capital.
• Cybersecurity: Ensuring national cybersecurity according to international best practices to protect data and maintain the functionality of applications.
• Digital Health Records: Implementing a nationwide digital health record (Fascicolo Sanitario Elettronico) to facilitate remote diagnoses and care, providing uniform telemedicine services across the country.
• Digital Skills: Enhancing digital skills, particularly among vulnerable populations, and equipping workers with the necessary skills to take advantage of digital transition opportunities.

The objective dedicated to digital skills is divided into two directions - large-scale  basic  training and professional training. The initiatives under the digital skills pillar are the following:

• Digital Republic Fund

• Digital Civil Service

• Digital Facilitation Networks

• Digital skills of ICT specialists

In the previous period until 2022, all targets and milestones of the PNRR were met, including Multiple initiatives to enhance digital skills, including the creation of the innovative Fondo per la Repubblica Digitale, were launched.