Budget 2027, how many funds are allocated (for now) to cybersecurity? What we know

The special on the 2027 financial maneuver

Budget 2027, how many funds are allocated (for now) to cybersecurity? What we know

One of the fronts of the debate on the Budget, the latest of this Meloni government, concerns the issue of the resources allocated by the Budget Law to cybersecurity. A topic that has become increasingly central after the hacker attacks of recent weeks which have hit several European countries, including Italy, and various sectors. This was also discussed on Numeri, the in-depth program on Sky TG24, in the November 9th episode.

In recent days, commenting on the recent hacker attacks and returning to the controversy over the Budget funds intended for defence, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had said: "When we talk about defense and security spending, in a time like this, we are not simply talking about weapons. We are talking about securing the daily lives of citizens". "We are in the midst of a hacker emergency and they are cutting cybersecurity resources," the opposition attacked.

The controversy, therefore, concerns the funds allocated to cybersecurity. The government reiterated its position: the increase in defense funding also serves to strengthen the ability to prevent and counter the hybrid threat. But how many times does the term "cybersecurity" - or similar expressions - appear in the Budget? Zero times. In the Technical Report on the Maneuver, however, it appears four times.

In the Technical Report on the Maneuver, which is that very important document that gives the technical details of all the measures, as mentioned the term "cybersecurity" - or similar expressions - appears four times. It is therefore not very present. Not only that: the quotes in the Technical Report are for items that are actually cuts.

The cuts contained in the Cybersecurity Maneuver for the year 2027, for example, are the following: approximately 600 thousand euros are cut to Cybersecurity for civil motorization, one and a half million are cut for the Cybersecurity of the prisoner guarantor, half a million are cut for the National Cybersecurity Strategy. This is about 2.6 million euros cut: a negligible figure in the context of the spending of the Budget, but still a minus on the topic.

In the Maneuver, therefore, at the moment there appear to be no obvious signs of greater commitment - including financial - to cybersecurity. There are scattered rumours, in other areas, which concern cybersecurity: for example in the Missions abroad it is mentioned that in those 8 million more there are also Cybersecurity issues, but not all 8 million and we don't know how much the figure is.

Another example concerns a provision that affects companies: tax relief is provided for companies that invest in Cloud Computing and in addition to other things, with a total of around 30 million in 2027, there is a part that falls within the Cybersecurity area. But, as mentioned, there are no obvious additional funds and, indeed, the maneuvers of past years have even cut some.

However, there is an important initiative currently being discussed in the Senate: it is the famous bill, wanted by the Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto, which should also establish a unit within the ministry and the armed forces to deal with Cybersecurity. The provision is under discussion and it is not known when and if it will see the light and if, if so, the part regarding financing will also see the light.

Much, however, depends on how much money will be allocated to Defense from the Budget: the ministry's programmatic document has not yet been published but there we will be able to find out if among the extra billions allocated to Defense there are also resources for cybersecurity.