On Friday 20 May, the French Presidency of the EU Council submitted its draft conclusions on the Court of Auditors’ special report of 29 March, in which the Court pointed out the inadequate preparation of the EU institutions, bodies and agencies (EUIBA) faced with cybersecurity threats (see EUROPE 12921/15).
The French Presidency of the Council of the EU recognises that “the level of cybersecurity preparedness of the EU institutions, bodies and agencies should be improved” and invites them to “intensify their efforts to protect themselves against cyber threats” and to strengthen their cooperation to establish consistent standards and specifications.
This, the document adds, is particularly pertinent for public procurement, projects and services related to cybersecurity and in order to improve the interoperability of IT systems, in particular for the secure communication of unclassified content.
The draft conclusions also invite the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) and the Computer Emergency Response Team of the EU Institutions, Bodies and Agencies (CERT-EU) to intensify their cooperation to support the EUIBA in their cybersecurity efforts.
Furthermore, the French Presidency of the EU Council stresses that CERT-EU should also be informed “without delay” of significant cyber incidents within the EU institutions, bodies and agencies. To this end, the text argues, “CERT-EU equipped with adequate resources that are predictable and adapted to the current level of threat and to the needs”, in particular, regarding personnel, technical equipment and infrastructure.
Finally, the document also insists that the European Commission take into account the recommendations of the Court of Auditors’ special report when developing cybersecurity policies.
See the draft conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/1v0 (Original version in French by Thomas Mangin)