14 DAY TRIAL // The "Joint Cyber Unit" is an action plan aimed at countries affected by cyberattacks to get help from the EU and other governments. The new taskforce will be responsible for rapid responses to cyberattacks and fight hackers in real time, according to a draft seen by Politico.
The initiative also calls for the establishment of a platform for cybercrime police, cyber agencies, military services, diplomats, and cybersecurity companies to share resources and coordinate responses. It also calls for regular threat reports, crisis response strategies to be developed and tested, and information-sharing partnerships between government and private cybersecurity organizations.
The initiative comes at a time when cyberattacks are sweeping the continent, raising fears that Europe may not be able to defend itself or its trade secrets against attackers. Therefore, EU needs to come up with a solution to help countries fight more complex and brazen attacks by pooling the cybersecurity capabilities of national governments.
As the threat of cyberattacks grows, governments must work together
Governments were forced to take this route mostly due to cyberattacks targeting key institutions such as the European Medicines Agency, hospitals in Ireland and France, as well as cyberespionage campaigns targeting several government officials.
The Joint Cyber Unit idea was first announced around 2019. This new agency aims to stop cyberattacks that have compromised institutions within the European Union, national ministries, agencies, departments, and European companies. Since the EU does not have sovereignty over national security, a right member countries don't want to give up, the plan needed more time to be finalized.
Under the EU's defense cooperation program, several EU countries have already formed joint cyber response teams. Cybersecurity agencies have collaborated on rules to secure elections and 5G infrastructure, and cybercrime police from throughout Europe work together at the European Cybercrime Centre.
According to the plan, the Commission anticipates that the unit will be fully operational by the end of 2022 and that Europe's cybersecurity industry would be involved in the activities by the first half of 2023.