Italy targets energy and robotics sovereignty through new industrial policies

Italy's Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, has outlined strategic government interventions focused on energy and industrial sovereignty. On the energy front, the government is prioritizing renewable energy, noting a production increase of over 40%, and aims to unblock 4,000 projects through bureaucratic simplification or the appointment of a special commissioner.

Additionally, the government is advancing nuclear energy through a delegation bill to facilitate the use of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs). This move is intended to allow Italian companies, which already supply the international nuclear supply chain, to operate domestically with safe, clean, and portable technology.

Parallel to energy, discussions are intensifying regarding a potential robotics law. While Minister Urso has proposed incentives for advanced robotics and humanoid robots to protect Italian know-how against international competition, the debate has expanded to include broader industrial policy. Experts, including Marco Taisch of Politecnico di Milano, suggest that the focus should shift from mere incentives to a comprehensive strategy for advanced robotics and Physical AI to ensure national industrial sovereignty.