Data centre regulation in Italy
Our tracker lists 7 rules for building and running a data centre in Italy, national and EU, and 4 of them are in force.
Each comes with its status, who it applies to and the next date that matters. When a rule here changes, the change is logged below with its date.
- 4 of 7rules that apply, in forceRegulation tracker, updated 19 Oct 2026
- 3not yet in forceproposed, adopted or in scrutiny
- 14 Dec 2026next date, EURegulation tracker, updated 19 Oct 2026
Rules that apply in Italy
National rules first, then the EU rules every member state applies. Status as on the tracker.
| Rule | Level | Status | Applies to | Next date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decree-law 21/2026 Article 8, single authorisation for data centres, converted by Law 49/2026 | National | In force | New and expanding sites. Enterprise, colocation and co-hosting data centres and their connection works; no power threshold in the Article | Decision within 10 months of a complete application, extendable by up to 3 |
| EED reporting, Article 12 and Delegated Regulation 2024/1364 | EU | In force | New and existing sites. Data centres ≥500 kW installed IT power | 15 May 2027, next annual report |
| EED waste heat, Article 26(6) | EU | In force | New and existing sites. Data centres >1 MW total rated energy input | Ongoing duty |
| EED energy management systems, Article 11 | EU | In force as a Directive duty on Member States; deadline not yet reached | Enterprises, including data-centre operators, with average annual energy consumption above 85 TJ (23.6 GWh) over the previous three years, all energy carriers together | 11 October 2027, certified energy management system in place |
| EU rating scheme, delegated regulation adopted 21 Sep 2026 | EU | Adopted, in Parliament and Council scrutiny | New and existing sites. Same ≥500 kW reporting population | In force 20 days after Official Journal publication, if not objected to |
| EU minimum performance standards | EU | Consultation open | Not yet defined | 14 December 2026, consultation closes |
| Cloud and AI Development Act, COM(2026) 502 | EU | Proposal, with Parliament and Council | Cloud and AI infrastructure providers broadly | No fixed date |
Italy in detail
What the national rules say, with the legal texts.
Italy's Decree-law of 20 February 2026, no. 21, converted with amendments by Law of 10 April 2026, no. 49, sets a single authorisation procedure for data centres in Article 8. It covers building, expanding and operating enterprise, colocation and co-hosting data centres as defined in Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364, and their grid connection works at any voltage. The authority that issues the integrated environmental authorisation decides in one procedure of no more than ten months, extendable by up to three months in exceptional cases. Article 8 sets no power threshold. The conversion law entered into force on 19 April 2026.
Dates to watch
The next dates for Italy and the EU, soonest first.
- 14 Dec 2026The EU Commission's minimum performance standards consultation and call for evidence closes
- 15 May 2027EU database dueevery year
- 11 Oct 2027EU deadline under Article 11 of the Energy Efficiency Directive for a certified energy management system at enterprises above 85 TJ (23.6 GWh) of annual energy consumption
Formal refusals and bans since 2025
Verified decisions only.
Decisions on single sites
- 9 Oct 2026 Vittuone, near Milan Environmental impact decree issued with a negative outcome by the environment ministryStanding
- Sep 2026 Cologno Monzese, near Milan Development plan rejected by the municipal executiveStanding
Decisions from 1 Jan 2025; statuses checked 21 Oct 2026.
What changed
The latest changes to these rules on the tracker, newest first.
- 18 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: EED energy management systems, Article 11 (In force as a Directive duty on Member States; deadline not yet reached).
Questions
Which rules apply to a data centre in Italy?
Our tracker lists 7 rules for building and running a data centre in Italy, national and EU, and 4 of them are in force.
What is the next date for data centre rules in Italy?
The next date is 14 Dec 2026: the EU Commission's minimum performance standards consultation and call for evidence closes.
Sources
From the European data-centre regulation tracker, which cites the legal text for every rule. Data-centre market data for Italy.
Not legal advice. Confirm each duty against the text itself.