Italy requires certified CIR controllers on new private chargers from January 2027

From January 1, 2027, every new or replaced charge point in Italy that is not accessible to the public and charges at standard power (up to 22 kW) must be certified to Annex X of the technical standard CEI 0-21. The obligation comes from article 23 of Legislative Decree 5/2026, which transposes the EU renewable energy directive RED III. Italy's energy regulator ARERA quoted it in resolution 352/2026/R/eel of October 6, 2026.

Annex X centres on the CIR (controllore di infrastruttura di ricarica), a controller that communicates with the electricity meter to manage charging power, responds to grid frequency events and enables flexibility services. It can sit inside the wallbox or between the meter and the charger. The interface to an outside operator is set out in the CEI PAS 57-127 specification. The CEI published revised versions of PAS 57-127 in July and Annex X in August 2026. According to ARERA, the revision makes the smart meter's Chain 2 communication channel mandatory for the CIR.

The rule covers homes, condominiums, company car parks and hotels. Public chargers, chargers above 22 kW and existing installations that are not replaced are outside it. Italian outlet Vaielettrico reports that an accredited certification body now exists and that the industry association ANIE is weighing a request for a transition period of a few months.

For installers working in Italy, the practical question is whether the charger they fit from January carries the certification. The CIR handles the meter and the grid signal. Smart charging in a backend such as Plugchoice handles the user and the charging schedule.

Sources

• Deliberazione 6 ottobre 2026, 352/2026/R/eel, ARERA, October 6, 2026.
• Norme CEI, dal 1° gennaio stop alle nuove wallbox domestiche?, Vaielettrico, November 5, 2026.
• Obbligo CIR, Allegato X CEI 0-21, V2C, manufacturer guide.