18/03/2019 (Agence Europe) – The Parliament and the Council of the EU will try to reach an agreement on the draft regulation establishing a European Centre of Competence and a Network of National Coordination Centres on the evening of 20 March. This is the last opportunity before the European elections, as Parliament must validate the text in committee and in plenary session. The negotiators held a first introductory meeting on 13 March and held two technical working meetings on 15 and 19 March. The main difference between the co-legislators on this text, which pools expertise in cybersecurity, concerns the financial participation of Member States in the competence centre: the Parliament and the Commission want it to be 50% while the Member States advocate voluntary participation. (SP)