In a pivotal year for cyber diplomacy, on 22–23 January 2026, the EU Cyber Direct – EU Cyber Diplomacy Initiative proudly convened the 7th edition of the European Cyber Diplomacy Dialogue at the European University Institute in Florence.
Building on six years of sustained engagement since 2019, this year's Dialogue brought together EU Member States' cyber and digital ambassadors, delegates, EU institutions, and leading stakeholders from the technical, academic, civil society, and industry communities. By bridging expertise and perspectives, participants constructively explored how the EU can sharpen its cyber diplomacy in a period of accelerated technological change and geopolitical pressure.
The programme reflected the 2026 Cyber Diplomacy Dialogue's goal to "Bridge Technical and Policy Layers of Cybersecurity Cooperation". In particular, taking place at the historic transition from the UN Open-Ended Working Group on ICTs to the forthcoming Global Mechanism in 2026, this year's Dialogue provided the opportunity to discuss the evolving multilateral environment and partnerships across formats, exploring how the EU can sequence and connect different diplomatic tracks to sustain cooperation and deliver tangible outcomes.
Building on this year's edition's goal of establishing a shared baseline on the technical nature of connectivity and emerging digital technologies (EDTs), the two-day exchanges also unpacked how technical dependencies shape exposure and resilience, and the critical implications for diplomacy. Discussions spanned the functioning of connectivity infrastructure, including submarine cables, cloud servers, and space infrastructure, and the relevance of technical protocols for safe and secure connectivity, as well as how the malicious use of emerging technologies, including AI and quantum, might affect the threat landscape, escalation dynamics, and policy choices.
The Dialogue once again provided a unique space for reflection, peer exchange, and practical stress-testing of assumptions, helping shape EU external cyber engagement for 2026 and beyond.
