In response to the increasing number of cyberattacks, espionage, and disinformation campaigns targeting the EU and its Member States, the European Commission and the European External Action Service proposed a new EU cyber defence policy that will boost cooperation and investments in cyber defence to enhance the Union's ability to prevent, detect, and deter cyberattacks.
In particular, the Commission is asking to set up different structures - including an EU Cyber Defence Coordination Center, an EU Cyber Commanders Conference, a network of military Computer Emergency Response Teams (milCERTs) and joint exercises under the banner of a new CyDef-X project - to better coordinate cyber defence policies and increase cooperation among EU's cyber defence actors.
This new policy is based on four pillars:
- Acting together for a stronger EU cyber defence;
- Securing the EU defence ecosystem;
- Investing in cyber defence capabilities;
- Partnering to address common challenges.
The need to review the EU's cyber defence policy framework was already noted in the 2020 EU Cybersecurity Strategy. Additionally, the Strategic Compass approved by the Council had also called for an EU Cyber Defence Policy by 2022.
Read the Joint Communication on the EU Policy on Cyber Defence
