Bilancio della difesa italiano: una chiave di lettura

Italy’s Ministry of Defence yearly publishes the multiannual framework document, (Documento programmatico pluriennale - DPP) outlining the allocation of resources in the defence sector. As the DPP provides information over a three-year time period, it is particularly interesting in order to identify trends. Against this backdrop, the 2018-2020 DPP is helpful to understand Italy’s strategic priorities with regards to defence, thereby allowing for an assessment about commitments taken by Rome at the multilateral level. Within NATO, the steady increase in defence expenditures, agreed upon at the 2014 Wales Summit, stimulate a discussion concerning the various components of the defence budget. Within the EU, Italy’s plentiful involvement in the first two waves of Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) projects encourages a reflection on the strategy for the development of the military instrument. A revision of the mechanism for the allocation of resources within each component of the defence budget is welcomed for Italy in order to live up to its promises, to ensure the operational availability of military capabilities, as well as to increase the competitiveness of the national defence industry.