With many years of experience engaging with institutions and stakeholders in Brussels, Mr. Ciulli offers insights into how European policymaking works, how strategic dossiers are evolving, and what opportunities exist for Italian companies seeking to strengthen their presence on the international market.
From your vantage point in Brussels, which strategic dossiers will matter most for European companies in the coming years – particularly in digitalisation, AI, cybersecurity and data governance?
We see three major strategic priorities for European companies.
The first concerns the implementation of the EU digital acquis already approved: I am referring to the AI Act, the Data Act, the Cyber Resilience Act, NIS2, the EHDS and eIDAS 2.0.
We’re past the stage of broad political declarations, but in the much more delicate stage of implementing acts, regulatory guidance, tenders and work programmes.
This is where companies can truly turn legislation into industrial opportunities.
The second priority is security, in the broadest sense: cybersecurity, the resilience of critical infrastructure, data sovereignty and interoperability, European standards for cloud and edge computing, and the protection of digital value chains.
Those who can offer solutions that are reliable, EU-compliant, and at the same time flexible enough for the market will gain a significant competitive advantage.
The third priority concerns the transformation of public administration and public services: digital identity, digital health, justice, public finance, local government.
These are areas where European public demand is particularly strong, and where players like Maggioli can play a leading role - bringing to Europe the experience gained on the Italian market, especially on the strategic theme of upskilling and reskilling in digital and AI-related competences.
In your view, what makes a company credible and attractive to European institutions and international partners?
For EU institutions, the key factor is a company’s ability to act as a reliable long-term partner. This translates into several very concrete elements:
- Consistency between messages and actions: credible companies in Brussels are those that do not change position every few months and that bring forward realistic requests supported by data and use cases.
- A genuine European footprint: it is not enough to “sell in Europe”. Institutions look for companies that understand differences between Member States, work in transnational partnerships, and participate in sectoral associations and EU platforms.
- Quality governance: transparency, compliance, and attention to privacy, security and sustainability are increasingly important to the Commission and other institutions.
- The ability to translate technical language into policy language: those who can explain innovation in terms of impact on citizens, SMEs and public administrations are listened to more - and better.
In short, a company becomes interesting in Brussels when it is not there just to “ask for something”, but when it comes with solutions, expertise and a willingness to contribute to shared objectives.
How important are European funds today — from research programmes to structural funds — in supporting innovation for companies working in digital services and PA transformation?
European funds are not the only drivers of innovation, but for many sectors — and certainly for digital services and public-sector transformation — they act as a decisive multiplier.
Programmes such as Horizon Europe, Digital Europe, Erasmus+, or structural funds and the NRRP, when used properly, allow companies to:
- conduct research and experimentation with a more manageable risk profile;
- join European consortia, expanding their network of partners and clients;
- build solutions designed from the outset to be scalable at EU level, not just nationally.
That said, the key is not to see EU funding as “easy money”, but as part of an industrial strategy: choosing the right calls, investing in project design, and focusing on strategic, high-quality initiatives with a clear market perspective.
This is an area where structured companies like Maggioli can further consolidate their role as key partners for public administrations and private actors alike.
One of the biggest challenges for participants in EU projects is turning results into solutions that can actually reach the market. What strategies would you suggest to maximise the transition from ‘project’ to ‘product’ or ‘service’?
This is arguably the central question for anyone working on EU projects. I would suggest four strategies:
- Think about the market from day one: already during proposal drafting, it is essential to ask who will pay, how, and for what. If the business model is addressed only at the end, it is unlikely to become a real “product”.
- Involve end users and public/private buyers: administrations, utilities and operators must be real partners, not just “letters of support”. They need to be heard, involved in testing and put in a position to co-design.
- Focus on standardisation and interoperability: European scalability often depends on the ability to connect to common standards, EU guidelines and interoperability frameworks. A prototype that remains self-contained stays inside the project. Successful projects must be easily replicable.
- Plan the post-project phase from the start: who will take the results forward? Will a new entity be needed, a consortium, a dedicated business unit? Without a clear “home”, results risk being shelved.
Here, players like Maggioli, who already have strong market presence and solid relationships with public administrations, can act as a bridge between the world of EU projects and operational, industrialised and long-term solutions.
Italy is preparing for an upcoming Presidency of the Council of the EU. What opportunities do you see for strengthening the role of Italian companies in the European context?
Every Council Presidency is a major political — but also economic — showcase.
For Italy, in the first half of 2028, we see at least three opportunities:
- Agenda setting: steering the debate on competitiveness, industrial policy, digitalisation and public-sector innovation also means placing at the centre dossiers where Italian companies can offer concrete solutions.
- Economic diplomacy: the Presidency multiplies events, conferences and ministerial meetings. It is an opportunity to bring the “Italian system” — companies, territories, clusters - into direct contact with European and international decision makers.
- Showcasing good practices: Italy has highly advanced experiences in several areas of public-service digitalisation. Highlighting them during the Presidency strengthens the country’s credibility and creates space for exporting solutions.
For companies, the key will be to arrive prepared: with clear proposals, strategic positioning and already-established European partnerships. In this context, companies like Maggioli have all the credentials to be among the protagonists of Italy’s story in Brussels.
In today’s competitive European landscape, how can an Italian company of Maggioli’s size carve out space and showcase its expertise within EU institutions?
Maggioli already starts with several key assets: strong specialisation in digital public-sector services, a solid entrepreneurial history, deep knowledge of the needs of municipalities, regions and central administrations, and a presence already structured in several European countries.
The challenge is to translate these strengths into a recognisable positioning within EU institutions.
This can be done along several lines:
- establishing a stable presence in Brussels, directly or through partners, to follow relevant dossiers, join working groups and build long-term relationships;
- participating actively in European networks and associations in GovTech, smart cities and digital public services, bringing the voice of Italian administrations and companies;
- collecting and showcasing best practices, turning successful local projects into “European cases”;
- investing in hybrid talent, with profiles who understand both the technical-managerial language of digital projects and the institutional-political language of EU policies.
If a company like Maggioli manages to present itself in Brussels not only as an IT supplier, but as a strategic partner for the evolution of European public services, opportunities will naturally follow.
To conclude, could you tell us more about Dini Romiti & Partners Brussels - this young firm dedicated to European institutional relations and public affairs?
Dini Romiti & Partners Brussels is one of the newest players in the European public affairs landscape, but it was born from the collaboration of four professionals who together bring over a century of combined experience between Rome, Milan and Brussels.
On one side stands the history of Dini Romiti Consulting, led by Francesco Dini and Roberta Romiti, one of the most established public affairs firms in Italy; on the other side, Leonardo Lorusso and myself — with 25 years of direct experience in EU decision-making processes and institutional dynamics.
The project has a clear ambition: to bring to the European level an integrated working method that follows public policies from their early development in Brussels all the way to their implementation in national contexts.
Our team combines political, analytical and strategic skills to anticipate policy evolution, interpret regulatory trends and build strong institutional relationships with the Commission, Parliament, governments and economic stakeholders. We support companies, associations, universities and global players in navigating — often complex — EU legislative processes, offering timely analysis, targeted advocacy strategies and effective positioning throughout the EU decision-making cycle.
Always with a tailor-made approach: few standard formulas, lots of listening, and a strong ability to turn European politics into concrete opportunities for organisations operating in the single market.
Ultimately, our mission is precisely to help companies like Maggioli structure their positioning in Brussels in a consistent, transparent and long-term way.