We are most pleased to invite you to participate in an evening of discussion on the upcoming set up of a European Cyber Competence Centre and its partner national network and their role to enhance the EU cyber capacity with our distinguished speakers:
- Ms Tamara Tafra, Counsellor for Cyber Issues, Croatian EU Presidency,
- Mr Miguel Gonzalez-Sancho, Head of Unit, Cybersecurity Technology and Capacity Building, European Commission,
- Mr Rasmus Andresen MEP (Greens/EFA,DE) and
- Mr Luigi Rebuffi, Secretary General European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO).
The event will be moderated by Ms Vesela Gladicheva, Senior Correspondent, MLex.
Given the current developments regarding the Covid-19 outbreak, our event series will be held in streaming.
About the debate
In the last decade, citizens, businesses and governments alike in Europe and across the globe have become increasingly dependent on digital technologies. However, along with the exponential increase of opportunities, the number, complexity and scale of cybersecurity threats and their impact on the economy and society have also grown. In addition, technological developments have de facto changed the very concept of security, as both strategic economic sectors, such as energy, finance, health and transports, and defence capacities largely rely on digital infrastructures. This trend is expected to increase with the roll out of Internet of Things (IoT), while the prospect of the shift from 4G-based to 5G-based technologies will further extend the array of opportunities and threats. For these reasons and as a result of the numerous EU initiatives aiming to foster and secure the Digital Single Market, the European Union is about to finalise, at an institutional level, the set up of a European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre, together with a Network of National Coordination Centres.
Although EU Institutions have been praised for their proactive role in maximising the benefits from digital transformation and fostering overall EU cyber capacity, several challenges lie ahead for Europe. Indeed, the general purpose behind the set up of a European Cyber Competence Centre and its partner national network is to stimulate European cybersecurity technological and industrial ecosystem that still suffers from several structural problems, such as: insufficient cooperation between cybersecurity demand and supply industries; and a lack of cooperation amongst EU Member States, research organisations, industry, and innovation communities. In fact, the ultimate aim of this legislative proposal is to ensure the optimisation of existing EU-wide knowledge and resources through cooperation to implement effective and marketable solutions. Besides the domain of cybersecurity, these should also cover other domains, including: smart data, quantum encryption, and blockchain technologies, for the overall benefit of both the private and the public sector.
Nevertheless, the European Commission itself has highlighted that the cybersecurity industry in Europe developed largely on the basis of the demand of national public sectors. Several studies have likewise emphasised that the Union is a net importer of cybersecurity products as European companies tend to develop within the boundaries of member states and, although being innovative, their operational horizon does not allow them to grow in size. As a consequence, EU cyber capacity is consistently unable to achieve a global scale. If this state of play continues, Europe will be unable to exploit its competitive edge to its best and may also risk isolating the EU market from global opportunities in terms of ensuring security, creating jobs, and fostering knowledge and skills advancement. How far can the EU cyber capacity go?
The event will commence at 6.00 PM and it will be held in streaming. After the panel debate there will be an opportunity for questions and discussions.
The question and answer session will be managed through sli.do. #EUCyberCompetence
This event will be held under the Chatham House Rule.
We look forward to hosting you at 6.00 pm on the 29th of April 2020.
