On Friday 21 February, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, condemned, on behalf of the EU, the cyber attack on Georgia at the end of October 2019, which caused damage to its social and economic infrastructure.
On Thursday 20 February, Tbilisi accused the Russian Directorate-General of Intelligence (GRU) of being behind the attack.
In a statement, the EU expressed concern about this cyber attack “which showed disregard for security and stability in cyberspace and undermines the development of political, social and economic benefits provided by the Internet and the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)”.
Thus, “concerned about the increase of irresponsible and destabilising behaviour in cyberspace”, Europeans are calling on the international community to continue to strengthen its cooperation in favour of a “global, open, stable, peaceful and secure cyberspace where human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law fully apply”.
They also call on the European Council to implement the existing consensus based on the reports of the UN Group of Governmental Experts on Information and Telecommunications in the Context of International Security (UNGGE) and to advance cooperation to strengthen this consensus within the UN and other appropriate international fora.
For their part, Europeans are committed to continuing to meet the challenges that cyberspace poses, both domestically and within the framework of their foreign and security policy. They will also continue to promote responsible behaviour through the application of international law, norms of responsible state behaviour and regional confidence-building measures.
In June 2017, the EU adopted a framework for a common diplomatic response to malicious activities in cyberspace (see EUROPE 11811/27) and since May 2019, there has been a sanctions regime for perpetrators of cyber attacks (see EUROPE 12257/9). (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)