The Council of the European Union announced, on 20 April 2021, that it had adopted, at first reading, the Regulation establishing the European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre and the Network of National Coordination Centres. In particular, the Council highlighted that the establishment of the Cybersecurity Competence Centre, which will be based in Bucharest and closely cooperate with the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity ('ENISA'), will see investment pooled in cybersecurity research, technology, and industrial development, with a view to boosting the security of the internet and other critical network and information systems. Furthermore, the Council outlined that the Cybersecurity Competence Centre will work with a network of national coordination centres designated by Member States and bring together key European stakeholders to form a cybersecurity competence community, in order to enhance and spread cybersecurity expertise across the EU.

Mariana Vieira da Silva, Portuguese Minister of State for the Presidency, Presidency of the Council, said, "The new Cybersecurity Competence Centre and network will play a key role in helping secure the digital infrastructure so many of us use every day for work and leisure, as well as information systems and networks in vital areas such as health, transport, energy, financial markets and banking systems. It will also bolster the global competitiveness of the EU's cybersecurity industry, SMEs in particular, and strengthen our leadership and strategic autonomy in the cybersecurity domain."

Having been adopted by the Council, the Regulation now needs to be adopted by the European Parliament, at second reading, before being published in the EU Official Journal, and will enter into effect 20 days thereafter.

You can read the press release here and the Regulation here.