New COcyber Project Set to Strengthen Ties Between Europe’s Civilian and Defence Cybersecurity Sectors

Brussels, Belgium – Europe faces numerous cybersecurity challenges, including global threats, attacks on critical infrastructure, and a fragmented landscape lacking sufficient collaboration. With a budget of 2.97M€ co-funded by the European Union, the COcyber project emerges as a timely response to address these pressing issues.

Over the next two years, the project will facilitate the exchange of knowledge, best practices, and information between the civilian and defence cybersecurity spheres. Led by EIT Digital, a multidisciplinary team of five European organisations will develop online tools, frameworks, activities, and policy recommendations to align actions within the European Union.

Public Consultations: A Participatory Approach to Collaboration

To kick off its activities, COcyber is now conducting the first round of public consultations, focusing on assessing the need to foster collaboration between the cybersecurity civilian and defence sectors. Using methods such as questionnaires and focus groups, the project will gather input from key stakeholders in cybersecurity, defence, and diplomacy. Feedback gathered notably from high-level experts at the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), European Defence Agency (EDA), and the European Commission will guide these consultations, with discussions involving national ministries, SMEs, and start-ups to address critical collaboration issues.

The first public consultation is now open, and all relevant stakeholders are invited to contribute their insights on why and how we should strengthen collaboration between the civilian and defence cybersecurity sectors in Europe.

Building Trustworthy Cybersecurity Infrastructures through the COcyber Platform

With the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) Threat Landscape 2024 highlighting a surge in cybersecurity attacks amid ongoing geopolitical conflicts - setting new records in both frequency and impact, COcyber stands out by offering a first-of-its-kind platform that bridges the gap between the civilian and defence cybersecurity sectors in Europe.

COcyber has recently launched the first version of a trusted and participatory information-sharing platform at www.cocyber.eu. It will be continuously updated with resources, articles, and other relevant information, serving as a channel for knowledge exchange and driving innovation and research synergies in cybersecurity.

COcyber will also organise high-impact activities and events, bringing together both sectors to focus on cybersecurity, innovation, technologies that could serve both civilian and defence purposes (dual-use), governance, and stakeholder engagement. At the policy level, the project’s outcomes will co-define policy recommendations to harmonise actions at both the Member State and European levels.

Joining Forces for a Resilient Cybersecurity Ecosystem

The COcyber project engages a broad spectrum of stakeholders critical to the cybersecurity ecosystem, including Government and Regulatory Bodies, Private Sector, Academia and Research Institutions, International and Defence Organizations, and Civil Society and End Users. As part of the civilian and defence spheres, cybersecurity firms and SMEs alike benefit from COcyber’s platform for collaboration, knowledge exchange, and engagement with decision-makers. This provides both groups with networking opportunities, access to cutting-edge solutions and resources, and valuable insights that will help them shape and influence the cybersecurity landscape.

COcyber brings together partners with a shared commitment to European cybersecurity resilience: EIT Digital, European Organisation for Security, The Lisbon Council for Economic Competitiveness, Université Libre de Bruxelles and AUSTRALO These organisations will lead the development, outreach, and policy activities that will drive the project’s success.

Follow COcyber on LinkedIn and Bluesky - stay tuned for further developments in this collaborative ecosyste

For more information, get in touch at contact@cocyber.eu.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre. Neither can be held responsible for them.