EU seals deal on stronger cyber resilience

“This new law increases the much-needed EU-wide cooperation against the growing threat to our security and economy”, declared Eva Maydell MEP, who led negotiations on behalf of the EPP Group on the EU cybersecurity Directive.

Last night, EU Member States and the European Parliament reached an agreement on the so-called Network and Information Security (NIS2) Directive, which will boost security against cyber threats.

The revision of this Directive will bring more entities under its wings and it will strengthen security requirements, address the security of supply chains, and tighten supervisory and enforcement requirements, including harmonised sanctions across the EU, while ensuring that there isn’t an administrative burden placed on Small and Medium-sized Enterprises.

"We cannot afford to have a fragmented Single Market which creates vulnerabilities that cyber criminals can exploit. This agreement is not a silver bullet, but the scale of this challenge means that we must build an arsenal to protect our digital networks against harm and foul play.”

“We cannot realise our digital ambitions if our networks are not secure. This issue cuts to the heart of many other policies, from the development of AI, semiconductors, and the defence sector to our ability to keep the lights on and hospitals open”, Maydell said.

Even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the EU has seen a significant increase in cyber-attacks and ransomware.

“The war in Ukraine has brought our cyber vulnerabilities into sharp focus. This agreement must now propel the EU’s cybersecurity agenda forward, matched with the necessary resources, funding, political will, and international cooperation to create meaningful resilience and preparedness. We need a European ecosystem that places digital networks hand-in-hand with cyber hygiene”, concluded Maydell.