Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Act – the EU can do better than this

The EU wants to establish European benchmarks for IT security. However, the proposed measures will slow down innovative companies and detach the EU from international cybersecurity efforts, writes Naemi Denz.

Naemi Denz is a member of the executive directorate of the mechanical engineering association VDMA. VDMA represents more than 3,200 member companies in the SME-dominated mechanical and systems engineering industry in Germany and Europe.

Cybersecurity is not only important for citizens, but also for companies. Much has been said about the potentials of digitalisation in industry, making production more efficient and customer-friendly. However, the benefits of Industry 4.0 will only be realised if Europe develops a consistent strategy to protect sensitive industrial data and infrastructure from attacks and misuse.

Unfortunately, the Commission’s Cybersecurity Act is anything but a consistent strategy. Though good intentions can’t be denied, the proposal fails to address the needs and concerns of industrial companies.

Moreover, ideas such as certificates for cybersecurity might even limit the EU’s ability to address new cyber threats and risk the danger that future European standards for cybersecurity become detached from those developed elsewhere in the world.