The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament welcomed last week’s interinstitutional agreement on measures for a high common level of cybersecurity across the European Union (NIS2 Directive), which aims to provide a high common level of cybersecurity in the EU by modernising and increasing the ambition of NIS1, given the evolving cybersecurity threat landscape, and the increased digitalisation of the internal market in recent years.

One of Renew Europe’s priorities was to expand the scope, by adding new sectors and all-important public and private entities, as well as increasing the level of information sharing between relevant actors, a framework of security requirements, supervision and enforcement based on a risk-based and proportionality approach, including harmonised sanctions across the EU.

Likewise, Renew Europe advocated for a more active role for EU Member States and European authorities to report cybercrime. The rapporteur on this directive, Bart Groothuis MEP (VVD, NL), also addressed concerns regarding administrative burdens for companies and proposed ways to aid SMEs in increasing their cyber resilience.

The final agreement is a significant step forward to allow all stakeholders concerned to handle potential cyber threats quickly and efficiently, making the European Union more secure and resilient.

Commenting on the directive, Groothuis said:

“The NIS2 is the best cyber security legislation this continent has yet seen, because it will transform Europe into a continent capable of handling cyber incidents proactively and in service-oriented manner. This European directive is going to help more than a hundred thousand vital entities to tighten their grip on security and make Europe a safe place to live and work”.

With increasing cyber-attacks we need to raise the level of cybersecurity across the EU.

The #NIS2 will provide a high common level of cybersecurity in the EU. All relevant public & private entities are required to take up necessary security measures.

📽️ @bgroothuis pic.twitter.com/QkSlnHinZA

— Renew Europe (@RenewEurope) May 13, 2022

Photo credit: © European Union 2021