ENISA - celebrating Europe with Heraklion

ENISA is now in its eighth year on Crete, and to mark its recent achievements as the European Union’s expert cybersecurity body, it will be running fun competitions for children, with special Europe-themed prizes.

ENISA's key role in protecting Europe’s cybersecurity was highlighted in April, when the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of giving the Agency a new seven-year mandate, and confirmed that the agency’s seat will continue to be in Heraklion[i]. The Agency also received an extended set of responsibilities, including helping to protect Europe's key systems, such as electricity networks.

The European Union's Cyber Security Strategy, published in February, also identifies key roles for ENISA, with proposals including the launch of a European Network and Information Security (NIS) "driving licence" to promote core cybersecurity skills. This, says the Agency, could bring IT-related development opportunities to Crete. These could include specialist training, with the possibility of using facilities in the Agency’s new offices, when these are completed. (The construction of the new facilities is currently running two years behind schedule – completion was planned in 2011, and is now not expected until the end of 2013).

Head of Public Affairs, Graeme Cooper comments, "It is planned for ENISA to move into a new, purpose-built headquarters in Heraklion. While not yet completed, the building has been funded entirely with €7,7 million of European Commission development funding  under the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 7 programme. ENISA is exploring ways in which we could help to make maximum use of these facilities - for example in developing specialist IT security training, based here on Crete.”

Such an initiative would build on the Agency’s expertise and recent successes, which include:

• Facilitating Europe’s biggest ever cyber security exercise – Cyber Europe 2012
• Supporting “front line” computer emergency response teams across all of Europe’s 27 Member States
• Establishing Europe’s first ever reporting scheme for large-scale cyber security incidents
• Setting up an operational office in Athens

More information on ENISA and its work to protect Europe’s cyberspace will be available at the Europe Day event on Saturday.

Note: [i] The European Parliament voting for the new ENISA Regulation was 626 in favour, 45 against, with 16 abstentions.

Background information:

Earlier reports regarding the political process of the EU-Institutions: http://www.enisa.europa.eu/media/news-items/enisa-agreement-endorsed

 European Commission's press release on new mandate for ENISA: http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-13-341_en.htm

For more information, please contact: Graeme Cooper, Head of public affairs, [email protected] or mobile: +30 6951 782 268, or Sarah Capogrossi, [email protected]

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