CEPS Task Force on “Strengthening the EU’s Cyber Defence Capabilities”
The security of cyber space has gradually become a key priority both for the protection of critical infrastructure and for military purposes. Cyber defence, however, is often at a structural disadvantage to attacks, especially those of a global or cross-border nature. In Europe, this vulnerability is also due to the fragmented nature of defence strategies and capabilities, unevenly confined to the hands of national governments. At the EU level, this reality becomes even clearer as a result of the ongoing integration of the Digital Single Market. With the growing degree of interconnectedness, an enhanced level of cooperation and coordination in the defence domain is required: otherwise, the least prepared countries might become an easy point of entry for cyber-attackers (spies, thieves or terrorists) wishing to target the whole EU (the so-called “weakest link” problem).
Against this background, the cybersecurity landscape in Europe is highly fragmented. Various initiatives have been undertaken to strengthen coordination, including a revision of the mandate of ENISA (the EU Agency for Network Security, based in Greece); the creation of Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) in each member state; and the adoption of the Network and Information Security (NIS) Directive, which creates an unprecedented set of information-sharing obligations between private players and public authorities.
In this context, the CEPS Task Force on “Strengthening the EU’s Cyber Defence Capabilities” will examine ad-hoc measures to enhance cyber defence in the EU and will provide input to the ongoing reflections on how to integrate cybersecurity and cyber defence into the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) and to promote synergies between military and civilian efforts. This initiative is also timely as it supports recent efforts to further develop the EU’s CSDP by setting up permanent structured cooperation (PESCO) among 23 EU member states.
Please click here to download the Task Force Prospectus.
If you are interested in joining this CEPS Task Force, please fill in and return the registration form via e-mail before March 26th.
Please click here for the full agenda of the Task Force’s inaugural meeting on March 26th.
Registration and light lunch from 12.15 – Meeting from 13.00 to 17.00 followed by a networking cocktail until 18.00