EU Cyber Security Strategy: rapid implementation needed now!

Today, the European Commission revealed the EU Cyber Security Strategy that is one step closer to bringing Europe up to date in cyber terms.

The European Parliament´s Rapporteur for Cyber Security and Defence, Tunne Kelam MEP, welcomes the adoption of the strategy but regrets the delay as the strategy should have already  been presented last September.

"Surprisingly, the strategy does not call on all Member States to develop and adopt their national cyber security strategies without delay. More than half of the Member States still lack state level cyber security strategies. Foreseen obligatory Network and Information Security (NIS) strategies will cover a big part, but not everything in cyber space", Tunne Kelam MEP said.

"The European Parliament asked for a comprehensive cyber security strategy that would build on a multi-stakeholder approach and go from network security to cyber defence. I especially welcome that the strategy emphasises the need to mainstream cyber space into external actions and the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)."

"Cyber defence gets a deserved prominent position in the strategy and boldly calls for both civilian and military cooperation and actions."

"This strategy is only the first European step. We expect this to be followed rapidly by a European Cyber Defence Policy and by concrete implementation plans and progress reports on mainstreaming cyber issues into external actions and the CFSP and on including NIS and cyber hygiene in all European school curricula from the earliest age possible", concluded the EP Rapporteur.

"The exchange of information is crucial for network security. We need to involve not only online business, but also providers of telecoms networks and public utilities", said Monika Hohlmeier MEP who is currently in charge of the Directive on attacks against information systems for the EPP Group.

"There is going to have to be a thorough debate on what type of companies should be obliged to file and what kind of attacks it should be about. We must avoid over-centralised reporting requirements which would run the risk of affecting the companies' economic development", said Mrs Hohlmeier.

The EPP Group supports the draft Directive as such: "The number of cases of organised crime in the worldwide web has increased dramatically over the years. It is in the vital interest of both consumers and business to increase network security", said the EPP Group MEP.