European Cybersecurity Competence Center (ECCC) launches, bolstering EU’s Cyber Shield

The ECCC’s primary objective is to strengthen Europe’s cybersecurity capabilities and competitiveness.
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The European Cybersecurity Competence Center (ECCC) was officially inaugurated in Bucharest, Romania, marking the establishment of the first European entity dedicated to ensuring the functionality of the EU-wide Cyber Shield. The Cyber Shield is a part of the EU’s proposed draft Cyber Solidarity Act. 

The ECCC aims to enhance Europe’s cybersecurity capacities and competitiveness by collaborating with a Network of National Coordination Centers (NCCs) to establish a robust cybersecurity community. The centre will work with member states, industry stakeholders, and the cybersecurity technology community to develop and implement a shared agenda for technology development and widespread deployment in public interest sectors and businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

The ECCC has been in the works for nearly two years, with an active governing board that has been conducting meetings both online and in person. The centre currently employs 14 staff members, with plans to gradually increase the workforce to 40 by next year.

Roberto Viola, the Director-General of the European Commission’s Department for Communications Networks, Content and Technology (DG CNECT), emphasised the increasing digitalisation of Europe and the accompanying advantages and risks. He stated that the ECCC’s primary objective is to strengthen cybersecurity competence across Europe and ensure its full operational capacity. The centre’s role is to facilitate cooperation between various cybersecurity centres within a network, providing continuous monitoring to identify weaknesses and combat attacks to safeguard European assets and citizens. The ECCC is responsible for acquiring, operating, and networking individual operational centres.

Viola also highlighted the involvement of rapid technical intervention teams that can respond promptly to cyber attacks, detecting and protecting against them, conducting analysis, and using the findings to enhance systems and prevent future incidents.