https://techmonitor.ai/technology/cybersecurity/eu-joint-cybercrime-unit

The European Commission yesterday announced a joint cybersecurity unit to protect EU member states from attacks on their national infrastructure. The proposals have been welcomed as a positive step towards creating a united front against the skyrocketing threat of cybercrime, though some have questioned elements of its approach. Coordinating with security companies in the private sector and fostering information sharing between member states may prove big challenges for the new organisation.

Yesterday’s announcement comes against the backdrop of a massive increase in cyberattacks across Europe in 2020. Commissioner Thierry Breton said 756 large scale cyber attacks were reported in 2020 across the EU, an increase of 75% from 2019. The new unit, Breton said, will be operational by June 2022 and will aim to combine elements of the existing cybersecurity resources within the EU; the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA), Europewide police service Europol and cybercrime specialists EC3.