EU negotiators agreed on strengthening Europe’s cybersecurity

Yesterday evening, the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission reached a political agreement on the Cybersecurity Act which reinforces the mandate of the EU Agency for Cybersecurity, (European Union Agency for Network and Information and Security, ENISA) so as to better support Member States with tackling cybersecurity threats and attacks.

The Act also establishes an EU framework for cybersecurity certification, boosting the cybersecurity of online services and consumer devices. Vice-President Andrus Ansip, in charge of the Digital Single Market, said: “In the digital environment, people as well as companies need to feel secure; it is the only way for them to take full advantage of Europe’s digital economy. Trust and security are fundamental for our Digital Single Market to work properly. This evening’s agreement on comprehensive certification for cybersecurity products and a stronger EU Cybersecurity Agency is another step on the path to its completion.” Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, in charge of Digital Economy and Society, added: “Enhancing Europe’s cybersecurity, and increasing the trust of citizens and businesses in the digital society is a top priority for the European Union. Major incidents such as Wannacry and NotPetya have acted as wake-up calls, because they dearly showed the potential consequences of large-scale cyber-attacks. In this perspective, I strongly believe that tonight’s deal both improves our Union’s overall security and supports business competitiveness.” The Cybersecurity Act was proposed as part of the Cybersecurity package adopted on 13 September 2017, and as one of the priorities of the Digital Single Market strategy. Commissioner Mariya Gabriel gave a press conference together with the European Parliament’s rapporteur Angelika Niebler in Strasbourg earlier today. A press release and factsheet is available online.