Italia Digitale 2026

October 2022

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Strategies and Action Plans

Overview

Italia Digitale 2026 is a comprehensive strategy embedded in Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), launched to support the country’s recovery post-pandemic and address long-standing structural issues such as low growth and high unemployment. 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.

Key Objectives

The strategy outlines several ambitious objectives to be achieved by 2026, including:

  1. 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.
  2. Digital Education and Healthcare: Connecting all schools and healthcare facilities with ultra-broadband to provide ubiquitous access to educational content and healthcare services.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Cybersecurity: Ensuring national cybersecurity according to international best practices to protect data and maintain the functionality of applications.
  7. 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.
  8. Digital Skills: Enhancing digital skills, particularly among vulnerable populations, and equipping workers with the necessary skills to take advantage of digital transition opportunities.

Achievements and Future Steps

By October 2022, all targets and milestones of the PNRR were met. Notable accomplishments include:

  • Connectivity Projects: All necessary activities to initiate ultra-broadband projects were completed, with contracts signed by September 2022.
  • National Strategic Hub: Work on the National Strategic Hub commenced, with operational launch expected by December 2022.
  • Digital Platforms: New platforms for public data interoperability, digital notifications, delegations, and payments are either operational or in pre-release stages.
  • Cybersecurity Agency: The National Cybersecurity Agency was established and is fully operational.
  • Healthcare Digitization: New architectures for digital health records and telemedicine were approved and initiated.
  • Digital Skills Initiatives: Multiple initiatives to enhance digital skills, including the creation of the innovative Fondo per la Repubblica Digitale, were launched.
  • Space Sector: All funds for the space sector were allocated, and preparations for projects, including the launch of the Low Earth Orbit constellation “Iride,” are underway.

Strategic Focus Areas The strategy highlights four main areas of focus:

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

Implementation Approach The plan adopts a streamlined approach 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.
  • Extensive use of secure, modern cloud infrastructures to replace outdated local data centers.