PURPOSE

The Security Clearance (NOS) is a security authorization that allows individuals to handle classified information at the level of “Top Secret” or higher.

WHEN IT IS NOT REQUIRED

The NOS is not required to perform tasks related to contracts that require “special security measures” or that have been classified as “Confidential.”

WHO MUST APPLY

The NOS can never be requested by the individuals themselves. It must be requested by the owner, legal representative, or Security Officer (FAS) of the economic operator already holding a security clearance (NOSI or AP) or who has applied for one. The exception is the legal representative of a company, who may also apply for themselves. For self-employed professionals, whether individual or in associations, the contracting or asset-using administration requests the clearance at the time of submitting a bid for participation in the tender.

HOW TO APPLY

The owner, legal representative, or Security Officer (FAS) must send the following documentation by ordinary mail to:

Presidency of the Council of Ministers
Department of Information for Security
Central Office for Secrecy
Via di Santa Susanna, 15
00187 Rome, Italy

Required documentation:

• Application on the letterhead of the economic operator (see Form C)
• Declaration regarding conditions for denial, suspension, or revocation of the security clearance (see Form A.1)
• Consent declaration (see Form A.3)
• Copy of a valid identification document of the applicant
• Information sheet, in duplicate (see Form A.2), fully completed. It must specify the reason for the request (e.g., contract details related to the activity for which the clearance is requested) and the classification level and any qualification (e.g., NATO, EU) of the requested clearance

Note: Simply sending the information sheet, without the application on the economic operator’s letterhead, is not sufficient to initiate the clearance procedure. A separate application must be submitted for each individual.

VALIDITY

The NOS is valid from the date of issuance for 10 years for “Secret” and “Top Secret” levels, and 5 years for the “Ultra-Secret” level.

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Security Clearance (NOS) authorizes an individual or legal entity to handle classified information. The Central Office for Secrecy (UCSe) of the Department of Information for Security (DIS) is responsible for issuing, and potentially revoking, the NOS based on an assessment of the applicant’s reliability, in terms of loyalty to the institutions of the Republic, the Constitution, and its values, as well as strict adherence to confidentiality. The UCSe maintains and updates a registry of all individuals holding an NOS.

The NOS may be issued to employees of public administrations or entities, as well as companies (and their legal representatives) operating in sectors that involve handling classified information or require special security measures. For public employees, the administration or public entity to which they belong submits the request for the clearance if the employee’s role requires handling classified information. Individuals subject to the assessment must be informed and may refuse it, thereby renouncing the clearance and related responsibilities. Explicit consent from the applicant is required.

BRIEF REFORM OVERVIEW

The main changes concern:

• Political responsibility
• Collegial bodies
• Coordination
• Operational structures
• State secrets
• Functional guarantees
• Parliamentary oversight

Law 124/2007, which established the Information System for the Security of the Republic, reformed the Italian intelligence community, which had operated for over 30 years under Law 801/1977. The reform introduced significant changes, primarily assigning political responsibility for the entire sector solely to the Prime Minister, replacing the shared management responsibility with the Ministers of Defense and Interior provided by Law 801/1977.

The Prime Minister may delegate any of his powers to the designated Authority, represented by a Deputy Minister or a Minister without portfolio. The Department of Information for Security (DIS) serves as the operational body for the Prime Minister and the delegated Authority, with its Director General as the direct point of contact. The DIS has more defined and substantial responsibilities than the General Secretariat of CESIS under Law 801/77, particularly in information coordination, giving the Department a central role in the System.

The Prime Minister relies on a collegial body, the Interministerial Committee for the Security of the Republic (CISR), whose composition and functions partially reflect those of the previous CIIS, now including deliberative powers on general guidelines and fundamental objectives of the intelligence policy.

The responsibilities of the two Agencies—the External Intelligence and Security Agency (AISE) and the Internal Intelligence and Security Agency (AISI)—are divided according to the territorial scope of the threat, moderated by subject-matter competence in certain areas, unlike Law 801/77, which relied solely on subject-matter competence. Agency personnel may use functional guarantees for institutional operations, limiting their criminal liability under certain circumstances.

Regarding State secrets, the reform introduced a new framework balancing state security needs with citizens’ rights. Political oversight of the System’s activities is entrusted to the Parliamentary Committee for the Security of the Republic (COPASIR), tasked with systematically ensuring that the intelligence system operates according to the Constitution and laws, exclusively for the defense of the Republic and its institutions. The law grants the Committee strong oversight powers and consultative functions, and imposes specific reporting obligations on the Prime Minister.