Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
On the initiative of the current Hungarian rotating presidency of the European Union, the Council of Member States approved today in Brussels conclusions on the European Union Cybersecurity Agency (ENISA). Which has proven to be an invaluable entity in the European cybersecurity ecosystem over the past two decades, and the text of the conclusions summarizes the experiences of the Member States and their expectations regarding the agency. According to a European statement, "This is particularly important in view of the ongoing evaluation of the Cybersecurity Act (CSA) and its possible revision. The conclusions therefore contain a series of recommendations and proposals on behalf of the Council. The statement quoted the Hungarian State Secretary for Communications and International Relations, Zoltán Kovács, as saying

"The importance of ENISA in addressing cybersecurity threats, which have increased significantly in level, complexity and scale in recent years, cannot be underestimated. This comprehensive set of conclusions will help us build a strong and resilient digital space in Europe. Continued cooperation and prioritization of tasks and resources, as well as simplification of the complex cyber landscape, will be essential to address current and future challenges.”
Key messages
The Council’s conclusions acknowledge that the expansion of the important role of the Cybersecurity Agency is a result of recent legislative initiatives, such as the Cyber ​​Resilience Act (CRA) or the revised Networks and Information Systems Directive (NIS 2), which entrusted the Agency with additional tasks. Its key role has also been reinforced by the increasing scope and complexity of cyber threats and challenges in recent years. The Council therefore recommends that this increase in tasks be reflected in adequate resources, without pre-empting the upcoming negotiations on the multiannual financial framework. However, it is equally important to prioritize actions and sound cooperation with other actors in the cyberspace to avoid duplication of tasks.
The conclusions acknowledge the support of the Cybersecurity Agency to Member States when it comes to policy development and implementation. However, they also call for further improvements and actions, in particular with regard to the development of European cybersecurity certification schemes, as well as the creation of a single reporting platform.
The text of the conclusions also recognizes ENISA’s important contribution to enhancing shared situational awareness, as well as developing a common response to large-scale cyber incidents or crises. Further cooperation with the European Commission, the European External Action Service (EEAS), the network of Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs, groups of experts who assess, document and respond to a cyber incident) and the European Cyber ​​Crisis Communication Network (EU-CyCLONe, a cooperation network of national authorities of Member States responsible for cybersecurity) is also emphasized in this regard. Finally, the conclusions highlight the importance of ENISA’s cooperation with other actors in the cyber ecosystem, such as the EU Institutions Cybersecurity Service (CERT-EU), the European Competence Centre for Cybersecurity and Europol, but also with international organizations and partners and with the private sector.