The new European cybersecurity competence centre and network [EU Legislation in Progress]

Written by Mar Negreiro (3rd edition),

On 13 September 2017, the Commission adopted a cybersecurity package containing a series of initiatives to further improve EU cyber-resilience, deterrence and defence. A year later, the Commission presented a proposal for the creation of a European cybersecurity competence centre with a related network of national coordination centres. The initiative aims to improve and strengthen the EU’s cybersecurity capacity, by stimulating the European technological and industrial cybersecurity ecosystem as well as coordinating and pooling necessary resources in Europe.

The competence centre is supposed to become the main body that would manage EU financial resources dedicated to cybersecurity research under the two proposed programmes – Digital Europe and Horizon Europe – within the next multiannual financial framework, for 2021-2027.

Within the European Parliament, the file was assigned to the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE). The report was adopted on 19 February 2019 in the ITRE committee and voted by Parliament during the March I 2019 plenary. Although trilogue negotiations took place in March 2019, given the short timeframe until the end of the legislative term no agreement could be reached, and Parliament then adopted its first-reading position ahead of the May 2019 elections. A third trilogue meeting took place more than a year later, on 25 June 2020, and further negotiations are planned for September 2020.

Versions

• July  2020: ‘The new European cybersecurity competence centre and network‘ (3rd edition)