generates higher levels of exchange and movements of merchandise, people, goods, services, and capital, configuring a functional space different from the purely geographical one. On the other hand, such connectivity networks and infrastructure accentuate collective vulnerabilities, and can operate as staging grounds for confrontation, magnifying existing tensions. Crises of different kinds break out easily, and have become almost a constant.The distance between situations of normality and of crisis is increasingly shor ter. At the geopolitical level, within a changing multipolar world order, various global and regional powers coexist, without any one of them having exclusive hegemonic weight, although the United States of America maintains its preponderance. Competition is growing among State actors with different visions of security, and of the role of multilateral institutions. Powers like China and Russia have taken a more active role on the international scene, projecting their power beyond their regions. Both of these countries have stepped up their defence spending and modernized their military capabilities. In addition to the diffusion of power at the State level, another phenomenon that can be observed is a major shift of power towards non-State actors, thanks to technology and growing connectivity. Individuals and groups are emerging as relevant actors, gaining influence and changing the traditional State-dominated system. Therefore, one of the notable trends in recent years is the frequency with which jihadist terrorism has struck in several regions, including Europe. In this context, global common spaces—such as cyberspace, maritime space, and airspace and outer space—characterized by easy access and weak regulation can easily become theatres of confrontation. Cyberspace is undoubtedly an increasingly impor tant theatre of operations, and outer space is acquiring greater strategic impor tance. Likewise, maritime space is key for world trade. International stability requires collective guarantees for the proper use of these spaces. Presidency of the Government National Security Strategy 2017 31