Today, the European Commission and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy adopted the Security and Defence Package with a view to further strengthen common European defence. It focuses on reinforcing two strategic priority areas for the European Union’s security: Cyber Defence, with the EU Policy on Cyber Defence (EPCD), and Military Mobility, with the Action Plan on Military Mobility 2.0. This package follows the several defence initiatives adopted by the European Commission this year.
The EU Policy on Cyber Defence: A new vision for a stronger and more reactive cyber defence
The Joint Communication on the EU Policy on Cyber Defence (EPCD) addresses the entire defence ecosystem by building on four pillars of action: acting together for a stronger EU cyber defence, securing our defence ecosystem, investing in our cyber defence capabilities, and partnering to address common challenges.
The EPCD highlights the need to increase cooperation and coordination by providing suitable and secure means for information exchange and engage in exercises and other activities that build trust and common understanding. To this effect the EU will work towards the establishment of an EU Cyber Defence Coordination Centre (EUCDCC) to support enhanced situational awareness within the defence community, establishment and support an operational network for milCERTs (Military Computer Emergency Response Teams) known as MICNET. To strengthen common EU detection, situational awareness and response capabilities an EU infrastructure of Security Operation Centres (SOCs) is proposed. The Policy further proposes to gradually establish a mechanism to set-up an EU-level cyber reserve with services from trusted private providers.
In addition to work on cybersecurity standardisation and certification, the Policy proposes to develop recommendations on EU cyber defence interoperability requirements to mitigate the current absence of a common set of cyber defence interoperability requirements at EU level. Moreover, the Policy outlines the need for increased investments into modern military cyber defence capabilities proposing to do so in a collaborative manner using the full spectrum of cooperation platforms and funding mechanisms available at the EU level, such as PESCO and the European Defence Fund. Member States are invited to increase investments into full-spectrum cyber defence capabilities, including active defence capabilities.
The EPCD also includes the need to take action to reduce dependencies in critical cyber technologies and anticipate technological development to increase technological sovereignty and ensure our ability to act by proposing a technology roadmap for critical cyber critical technologies which will assess the level of dependencies faced by the EDTIB.
In addition, the Policy sets out a framework to enhance partnerships to address common challenges. Building on existing security and defence as well as cyber dialogues with partner countries, the EU will seek to establish tailored partnerships in the area of cyber defence. The EPCD will aim to further strengthen EU-NATO cooperation in the field of cyber-defence training, education, situational awareness and exercises.
Read the full EU Policy on Cyber Defence (EPCD) Joint Communication
The Military Mobility Action Plan 2.0: An Action Plan for faster cross-border movements and tighter cooperation
Building on the progress made since the military mobility initiative was launched in 2017[1], this new Action Plan opens the next chapter of work on military mobility for the period 2022-2026. Enlarged in scope and proposing additional measures, it will contribute to a well-connected military mobility network, with shorter and more secured reaction times.
The Action Plan addresses the need to improve the capacity of transport infrastructure to handle the weight, size and scale of military movement with new measures, including the fuel supply chain requirements for military transports.
The Plan will also continue the effort to streamline and harmonise complex, lengthy and diverging national rules and procedures, including by introducing new actions to support the further digitalisation of the administrative processes.
It adds a new preparedness and resilience pillar that promotes access to strategic lift capabilities and maximizing synergies with the civilian sector. It proposes measures to enhance the protection of the transport sector against cyber-attacks and other hybrid threats, and to promote its climate resilience and energy security. The new partnership pillar includes EU-NATO cooperation to ensure a stronger and more credible European pillar in NATO, especially in light of its enlargement to Finland and Sweden and promotes dialogue and connectivity with key regional partners as Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans.
[1] More information about the results achieved under the Military Mobility Action Plan from 2017 are found in the Q&A.
Details
- Publication date
- 9 November 2022