The fight against cybercrime will be at the top of the priorities of the upcoming rotating Presidency of the Council of the EU. This was stated by the Romanian Minister Delegate for European Affairs, Victor Negrescu, on Wednesday 7 November, on the occasion of the presentation of a study by the European Institute of Romania on the issue of cybersecurity.
Romania, which will chair the EU Council (for the first time ever) from 1 January to 31 July 2019, intends to highlight four themes during its mandate: (1) a converging Europe (i.e., themes related to growth, cohesion, competitiveness and connectivity); (2) a more secure Europe; (3) Europe as a stronger global actor; (4) a Europe based on common values.
To this end, the incoming Presidency will work to strengthen the EU's cyber-resilience. "It is no longer an option, we must act", said Victor Negrescu, saying his country will act to support the creation of a new EU cybersecurity agenda, to improve the fight against online crime and to improve criminal justice in cyberspace.
He also announced a high-level conference on cyberdiplomacy, entitled ‘Testing Cyberdiplomacy Tools' on 4 and 5 February in Bucharest, a cyberexercise on 28 and 29 May in Bucharest and a ministerial conference entitled ‘Bridging the Digital Gaps in the Digital Single Market' on 12 June 2019.
Ongoing inter-institutional negotiations
The European institutions are currently discussing a draft act on cybersecurity, which gives a permanent mandate to the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) and establishes a European Cybersecurity Certification Framework. Three negotiation meetings have already taken place (13 September, 1 October and 23 October) and a final meeting is scheduled for 28 November. A meeting could be added if sufficient progress is not made during the technical meetings (in particular on the tasks of the agency and the certification part). (Original version in French by Sophie Petitjean)