The Council has approved conclusions on the future of cybersecurity aiming to provide guidance and setting the principles towards building a more cybersecure and more resilient Union.

The importance of cybersecurity can hardly be underestimated. In the last years, cyber security threats have significantly increased in level, complexity, and scale. This has gone along with a significant increase in global geopolitical tensions.

Cybersecurity operates on multiple levels, ensuring the safety of our businesses, governments, and our citizens. Everyone deserves a secure internet and the peace of mind that comes with it. Everyone deserves to feel safe, both online and offline. We must build a robust and resilient digital world through proactive measures and international cooperation.

Petra de Sutter, Belgian deputy prime and minister of public administration, public enterprises, telecommunication, and postal services

Today we set out the principles for the next steps in building a more cyber secure and resilient Union. Focusing on implementation, adoption of harmonised standards, certification, supply chain security, cooperation with the private sector, support for SMEs and adequate funding should be among our main priorities for the future.

Mathieu Michel, Belgian Secretary of State for digitisation, administrative simplification, privacy protection, and the building regulation

The Council conclusions recall the importance to focus on implementation, strengthen coordination and collaboration, and avoid fragmentation of cybersecurity rules in sectorial legislation. They also call to further clarify roles and responsibilities in the cyber domain, to strengthen the cooperation in the fight against cybercrime, and to work on a revised blueprint of the cyber crisis management framework. The support to micro, small and medium size enterprises, and the need to respond to the challenges presented by the new technologies are also highlighted.

A multistakeholder approach, including cooperation with the private sector and academia is encouraged to close the skills gap. Stressing the importance to attract private capital, the Council conclusions emphasise the need for adequate funding. The external dimension is also highlighted, recalling that an active international policy would be needed to strengthen cooperation with third countries, particularly in the transatlantic context, as a contribution to a strong international ecosystem. In light of the changed and rising threat level, the Council finally invites the European Commission and the High Representative to present a revised cybersecurity strategy.