Odermatt, Jed --- "The European Union as a cybersecurity actor" [2018] ELECD 1278; in Blockmans, Steven; Koutrakos, Panos (eds), "Research Handbook on the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy" (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2018) 354

Book Title: Research Handbook on the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy

Editor(s): Blockmans, Steven; Koutrakos, Panos

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

ISBN: 9781785364075

Section: Chapter 17

Section Title: The European Union as a cybersecurity actor

Author(s): Odermatt, Jed

Number of pages: 20

Abstract/Description:

The chapter discusses the challenges facing the European Union as it seeks to become a more active player in the field of cybersecurity. It outlines the concept of cybersecurity and the various approaches to cybersecurity governance. It then discusses the EU’s approach to cybersecurity issues, focusing on three elements: cybercrime, network and information security, and cyber defence. Although a relative newcomer on the scene, the EU has made strides towards establishing a coherent policy framework across these areas. The EU is also developing a role in cyber defence, a field that has been largely left to the Member States. The chapter finally analyses the external dimension of cybersecurity policy and argues that the EU can influence the development of international norms. EU policy must also deal with the political and diplomatic dimension, especially as threats of state-sponsored cyber-attacks increase.