EU Commission opens €210m fund for cybersecurity and digital skills initiatives

Established in 2021, the DEP aims to support the EU’s digital transformation with a total budget of €7.5bn over seven years.
EU flags in front of European Commission

The European Commission has opened the application process to fund cybersecurity and digital skills initiatives, exceeding a €210m ($227.3m) investment under the Digital Europe Programme (DEP). Established in 2021, the DEP aims to contribute to the digital transformation of the EU’s society and economy, with a planned total budget of €7.5bn over seven years. It funds critical strategic areas such as supercomputing, AI, cybersecurity, and advanced digital skills to advance this vision.

In the latest funding cycle, the European Commission will allocate €35m ($37.8m) towards projects safeguarding large industrial installations and critical infrastructures. An additional €35m will be designated for implementing cutting-edge cybersecurity technologies and tools.

Furthermore, €12.8m ($13.8m) will be invested in establishing, reinforcing, and expanding national and cross-border security operation centres (SOCs). The initiative aligns with the proposed EU Cyber Solidarity Act, which aims to establish a European Cybersecurity Alert System to enhance the detection, analysis, and response to cyber threats. The envisioned system will consist of cross-border SOCs using advanced technologies like AI to share threat intelligence with authorities across the EU swiftly.

Moreover, the DEP will allocate €20m to assist member states in complying with the EU cybersecurity laws and national cybersecurity strategies. That includes the updated NIS2 Directive, which mandates strengthening cybersecurity measures in critical sectors and requires it to be transposed into national legislation by October 2024.

Finally, the latest DEP funding round will also allocate €55m ($59.5m) towards advanced digital skills, supporting the design and delivery of higher education programs in key digital technology domains. Additionally, €8m ($8.6m) will be directed towards European Digital Media Observatories (EDMOs) to finance independent regional hubs focused on analysing and combating disinformation in digital media.