Establishing the European Cybersecurity Competence Network: CyberSec4Europe

The CyberSec4Europe project, one of the four pilot projects aimed at establishing a European Cybersecurity Competence Network has just been launched on February 28 in Brussels.

Together with CONCORDIA, ECHO and SPARTA, Cybersec4 Europe has been funded under an H2020 call about "establishing and operating a pilot for a European Cybersecurity Competence Network and developing a common European Cybersecurity Research & Innovation Roadmap".

A competent and extended consortium

CyberSec4Europe is formed by 43 consortium partners coming from 22 EU Member States and Associated Countries. Together they address 14 key cybersecurity domains, 11 technology/ application elements and nine crucial vertical sectors. With participation in over 100 cybersecurity projects amongst them, CyberSec4Europe partners have considerable experience addressing a comprehensive set of issues across the cybersecurity domain.

During its 42 months of duration, the project will align and interconnect a vast pool of research excellence in existing centres and research facilities, bringing together cybersecurity expertise in an interdisciplinary manner while developing a governance model for the future European Cybersecurity Competence Network.

Addressing Cybersecurity challenges in key domains

As a pilot for a Cybersecurity Competence Network, CyberSec4Europe will test and demonstrate potential governance structures for the network of competence centres using the best practice examples from the expertise and experience of the participants, including concepts like CERN.

In addition, the project will develop a roadmap and recommendations for the implementation of the Network of Competence Centres using the practical experience gained in the project.

The project has identified key demonstration cases in different industrial domains, including finance, healthcare, transportation and smart cities. These address prominent research areas in both the public and private sectors that correspond closely with real-world issues, cyber threats and security problems. Another important outcome will be the development of a cybersecurity skills framework model to be used as a reference by education providers, employers and citizens.

CyberSec4Europe will also address key EU Directives and Regulations, such as the GDPR, PSD2, eIDAS, and ePrivacy, and help to implement the EU Cybersecurity Act including, but not limited to supporting the development of the European skills base, the certification framework and the role of ENISA.

Lead Co-ordinator, Professor Dr. Kai Rannenberg, Goethe University Frankfurt, says: “On behalf of the CyberSec4Europe consortium of partners, we are extremely grateful to the European Commission for this opportunity to explore one of the most exciting initiatives in the area of multi-disciplinary, cross-sector cybersecurity research and innovation in Europe. We are very excited to be at the forefront of efforts to address the challenges in developing a common European approach to cybersecurity while protecting core European values such as privacy and the rights of smaller market players such as consumers and SMEs."

More information about Cyber Security for Europe (CyberSec4Europe) is available on their website: https://www.cybersec4europe.eu and social media channels:

• Twitter: @CyberSec4Europe
• LinkedIn: in/cybersec4europe

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