The European Commission today set out its first comprehensive strategy to prevent and respond to cyber disruptions and attacks. The new cybersecurity strategy along with a proposal on Network and Information Security aims to prevent and fight cybercrime, strengthen the security and resilience of networks and information security systems, and helps establish a more coherent European cybersecurity policy.

 The international dimension also features prominently with the objective of establishing a coherent international cyberspace policy. At bilateral level, the document underscores that cooperation with the United States is particularly important and will be further developed, notably in the context of the EU-U.S. Working Group on Cybersecurity and Cybercrime.

 “For cyberspace to remain open and free, the same norms, principles and values that the EU upholds offline, should also apply online,” said EU High Representative Catherine Ashton.

 Neelie Kroes, European Commission Vice President for the Digital Agenda, said, “The more people rely on the Internet, the more people rely on it to be secure. A secure internet protects our freedoms and rights and our ability to do business.”

The new EU cyber strategy comes on top of recent key advances in protecting citizens from online crimes, including establishing a European Cybercrime Center, proposing legislation on attacks against information systems, and the launch of a Global Alliance to fight child sexual abuse online

You can read the strategy Here