CIRCLE Group signs agreement to Upgrade port services for EU Compliance

Circle S.p.A. (“CIRCLE” or the “Company”) - an Innovative SME listed on the Euronext Growth Milan market, heading the Group specialized in the process analysis and the development of solutions for the digitalization of the port and intermodal logistics sectors, as well as in the international consultancy on Green Deal and energy transition topics – announces the launch of a €500,000 strategic framework contract to ensure state-of-the-art port services that comply with the new requirements of the NIS2 Directive and updated national requirements. This initiative is part of the growing focus on cybersecurity, especially for critical sectors such as ports, which are crucial for the economy and national security.

The NIS2 (Network and Information Security Directive) is the new European standard for cybersecurity, extending the obligations from the previous NIS1. In particular, 28 February 2025 was the deadline for registration on the National Cybersecurity Agency (NCA) portal, obliging all companies subject to the directive to complete their registration. As of 1 March 2025, the ACN has prepared the analysis of the requests and will subsequently upload the list of companies that will have to implement the necessary measures, under penalty of economic sanctions in case of non-compliance.

In this scenario, Circle Group stands by the side of logistics and port operators to provide constant updates and to support ports and intermodal nodes on the path to compliance, offering a range of services implemented to accompany companies at every stage: from the preliminary analysis phase, through support in the assessment and gap analysis phase to assess the current state of the information systems and identify areas to be strengthened, to technical guidance for the adoption and implementation of demand measures. The support also includes training and awareness programmes to prepare staff for the new challenges up to refactoring.

Luca Abatello, CEO of Circle Group, commented: ‘With this contract, in line with our “Connect 4 Agile Growth” strategic plan, we intend to consolidate our leadership in the port services sector, providing companies in the sector with an integrated, secure and compliant solution, avoiding operational delays and critical issues. The investment is aimed at improving the cyber

resilience of port infrastructure, ensuring business continuity and protecting against cyber threats, while promoting regulatory compliance and avoiding risks of penalties and service disruptions.’