Supporting European cybersecurity champions

On 25 January, the European Cybersecurity Industry Leaders (ECIL) workgroup presented the European Commission with a report and a set of recommendations for building a more cybersecure Europe and supporting the emergence of European cybersecurity champions.

Formed in 2014, ECIL brings together the 10 leading cybersecurity players in Europe[1] with the aim of implementing a European cybersecurity policy to complement national initiatives. The workgroup is chaired by Thales.

A fragmented, vulnerable market
In the realm of cyberspace and digital security, the dictates of national sovereignty have tended to outweigh other considerations, resulting in a fragmentation at European level. There are significant disparities in the way cyber risk is assessed and the associated cybersecurity measures are implemented.
In the absence of a common policy and a mechanism for sharing information on cyberattacks between member states, Europe is doubly vulnerable — first to cybercrime and second to a loss of competitiveness, since this fragmented market has prevented the emergence of European champions of cybersecurity.

Practical recommendations
ECIL is thus calling for:

• The introduction of legislation applicable at European level relating to controls, equipment, supervision, etc.
• The creation of a European certification process to enterprise users and consumers to better identify trusted providers. Those providers would in turn be able to establish market positions faster and more efficiently by offering their products and services in all member states without requiring certification from each national authority, as is currently the case.
• Identification of trusted players and technologies with the aim of enabling businesses and critical infrastructure providers to better protect their most sensitive data.
• Europe-wide adoption of the secure-by-design approach: cybersecurity would be a mandatory requirement in the design of critical information systems, calling for professional support for companies in terms of products and skills (cyber consultants, information system architects, etc.)

Political will
As a global leader in data protection,[2] Thales continues to play a major role in the ECIL workgroup, bringing insights on cybersecurity by design (sovereign probes, encryption solutions, etc.) and expertise in the security aspects of enterprise digital transformation programmes. The next step is to present Günther H. Oettinger, European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, with a plan outlining ways for the European Commission to implement the priority recommendations of the report.
As reflected at the recent International Forum on Cybersecurity in Lille, 25–26 January, the political will now exists in Europe to ensure better safeguards for the online environment. Industry and policy-makers must work in close partnership to achieve this goal — and this is the core purpose of the ECIL workgroup.
 
Further reading:
For the first time, the European Cybersecurity Industry Leaders Propose Recommendations Towards European Cybersecurity Policy on thalesgroup.com