D4.5 - Policy Recommendations

This deliverable presents the COcyber policy recommendations for strengthening civiliandefence cybersecurity coordination in Europe. It addresses the growing interdependence between civilian infrastructures, defence preparedness, public authorities, private operators, research actors and critical digital supply chains in a threat environment where cyber incidents can rapidly create cross-sector, cross-border and security-relevant impacts.

Building on the findings of the COcyber Needs Assessment, PESTEL analysis, national case studies from Lithuania, Spain, Hungary and Slovenia, a policy and literature review and a structured validation process with the COcyber Community and consortium partners, the deliverable identifies key governance, legal, operational and capability gaps affecting effective cooperation. 

The recommendations focus on improving civil–defence coordination interfaces, trusted information sharing, protected incident reporting, joint exercises, skills development, dual-use innovation, funding alignment, strategic autonomy, policy monitoring and common terminology. Rather than proposing a single model for all Member States, the deliverable supports an adaptable and implementation-oriented approach that respects national competences while strengthening European added value through interoperability, trust, preparedness and continuous policy learning. 

Disclaimer

The COcyber project, funded under Grant Agreement No. 101158606, is supported by the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre and is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre. Neither of these two organisations can be held responsible for them. 

The contents of this deliverable are presented for informational purposes only and are subject to the pending approval of the European Commission (EC). The information, data, and conclusions presented herein may be revised or modified following review and approval by the European Commission. Recipients of this document are advised that any actions, decisions, or reliance on the information provided should be exercised with caution until the final approval from the European Commission is obtained. The authors and distributors of this deliverable shall not be held liable for any consequences arising from the use of information that has not yet received official European Commission approval.