As companies get ever more concerned about the cybersecurity standards of their suppliers, they are looking for a cheap and easy way to establish whether they can trust another company. Audits are time-consuming and expensive, but a number of new companies offer so-called outside-in cybersecurity ratings that promise to provide an accurate appraisal of IT security standards through a mixture …
Geopolitics of the Global Semiconductor Value Chain
The semiconductor value chain is highly interdependent, with some areas overwhelmingly dominated by a few companies or countries. Given Europe’s position in the value chain, European policymakers working toward strategic autonomy would do well to consider questions of access, leverage and resilience in addition to ownership. Semiconductors, such as processors or memory chips, are the drivers of the accelerating digitalization …
When Sovereignty Leads and Cyber Law Follows
The Network and Information Security Directive (NIS Directive) is one of the most important pieces of cyber legislation in the EU. Only four years after its entry into force, the European Commission is expected to table a revision of this cyber law by the end of the year. This is an excellent moment to consider this revision in the context …
Making Europe’s Digital Decade Global
Europe’s plan to become a global digital leader will disappoint unless it is truly global and backed by a clear vision.
Navigating the EU’s Cyber Diplomacy
Josep Borrell Fontelles needs no introduction. In European and national politics, he has done it all, including serving as the President of the European Parliament and as Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. He’s no stranger to digital and tech issues either: he spearheaded the process of liberalising Spain’s telecoms as Minister of Public Works and Transport in the early 1990s. In his role as the EU’s diplomat-in-chief, Borrell is now responsible for projecting the EU’s model and vision for cyberspace around the world. The task is not an easy one.
Privacy and Europe’s Cyber Leadership
Although the US and the EU have been running mates in the international cybersecurity race, Europe has been a rather silent partner in this campaign. A recent ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) underlines the unique features of European cyber power. The Privacy Shield verdict is a reminder that Europe is not like Russia. It is not like China. And it is not like the United States either.
Deterrence: A Naked Emperor
Researchers do not agree whether, when or how deterrence works. It is a risky policy that does not provide any predictability of behaviour, to which the European Union should not subscribe. The EU should instead develop stronger, multi-layered resilience in and for Europe. Such a policy would be protective rather than threatening, persuasive rather than dissuasive, defensive rather than deterring and active rather than opportunist.
Navigating Stability in Cyberspace
Interview with Marina Kaljurand, Member of the European Parliament
Demonstrating Europe’s Digital Value
To fully realise their strategic value, the EU’s digital and cyber policies need to be better tailored to engage all stakeholders, both in Europe and beyond. To accomplish this, all sides will need to commit to a meaningful dialogue about the ultimate goal of these policies and the pathways to get there. The rationale behind creating Directions is to provide …
Supply Chain Security Beyond 5G
The global architecture of supply chains is changing in front of our eyes. The 5G debate and now the COVID-19 pandemic have made us aware of how interconnected the world is and how much we rely on each other. This momentum must be captured. Important decisions about how to re-define supply chains are imminent, and security must be placed at …