Recent scanner contracts in Italy, awarded to Chinese firm Nuctech, have raised serious concerns among Italy’s allies about the risk of Chinese influence on critical infrastructure. The €15 million deals, funded by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, highlight a regulatory gap leaving the country vulnerable
Key developments. Nuctech, the partly Chinese state-owned company specialising in scanners for cargo, luggage, and persons, is raising fresh concerns among Western allies.
- The company, often dubbed the “new Huawei,” recently won two tenders with Italy’s Customs Agency—securing six mobile scanners for Italian ports and four X‐ray backscatter scanners for Customs offices.
- The offer was deemed the best due to a price advantage of €7 million and faster delivery, with a total contract value of €15 million funded by Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan.
Why it matters. The case recalls earlier controversies over Chinese suppliers in the 5G sector, highlighting growing apprehensions regarding national security.
- Key allies such as the US and EU have repeatedly warned that Chinese technology poses significant risks, particularly from companies closely linked to the state.
- Nuctech is one of the Chinese technology companies that were blacklisted by the United States in 2020 for national security reasons.
- Moreover, recent remarks by Tilman Fertitta, the American Ambassador to Italy, indicate that US priorities may also influence the future of Chinese technology in Italy, as he has stated his intention to prioritise Rome–Beijing relations during his mandate.
- In March, the European Court of Justice rejected Nuctech’s appeal against the European Commission’s decision to inspect the company under the EU’s foreign subsidies regulation.
A regulatory gap. Unlike the robust risk mitigation measures applied to 5G—such as Golden Power and the National Cyber Security Perimeter—there are no similar instruments for critical devices like scanners in Italy.
- This regulatory gap leaves Italy more vulnerable to potential security threats associated with these technologies, raising concerns among policymakers and security experts.
