Reinforced role for ENISA in the Digital Agenda

Yesterday, (19/05) the European Commission’s Commissioner Neelie Kroes outlined a reinforced role for ENISA in a forthcoming proposal for a renewed Agency regulation. This was done in the communication regarding the Digital Agenda for Europe:
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/digital-agenda/documents/digital-agenda-communication-en.pdf

The communication highlights related to ENISA, in brief:

CERTs:
Commissioner Kroes underlines the roles of Computer Emergency Response Teams:
• ‘Set up a European rapid response system to cyber-attacks, including a network of Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs) and propose in 2010 a reinforced role for the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA).”

Cyber crime:
In the field of cyber crime, Commission Kroes underlines
“Finally, cooperation of relevant actors needs to be organised at global level to be effectively able to fight and mitigate security threats. This can be channelled as part of discussions on Internet Governance. At a more operational level, internationally coordinated information security targeted actions should be pursued, and joint action should be taken to fight computer crime, with the support of a renewed European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA).”

Trust and Security:

The paper also clarifies that in the field of ‘Trust and Security’ the Agency will have a reinforced role. There is a key action (nr 6): to ‘ Propose a Regulation to modernise the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA), which should be done in 2010, and to make proposals to set up CERT for EU institutions’.

CERTs are the ‘digital firebrigades’, operationally managing e.g. cyber attacks. (See recent news item on CERTs).

Background:

The Digital Agenda is the 'backdrop' for the EU and the Agency’s activities. It underlines that Europe needs a new action plan for making the best use of information and communication technologies (ICT). This should speed up economic recovery and lay the foundations of a sustainable digital future. The new action plan proposes to remove current obstacles to maximising the potential of ICTs, with long-term investments to minimise future problems.

The Digital Agenda for Europe is one of the seven flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 Strategy. This strategy underlines the key, enabling role that the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) will have to play, if Europe wants to succeed in its ambitions for 2020.

For further info, see :

Full Commission Communication:
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/digital-agenda/documents/digital-agenda-communication-en.pdf

Memo: Digital Agenda for Europe: what would it do for me?
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/10/199&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Digital Agenda: Commission outlines action plan to boost Europe's prosperity and well-being
IP: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/10/581&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Digital Agenda for Europe: key initiatives:
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/10/200&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

Commissioner Kroes press conference: (video clip)

http://ec.europa.eu/avservices/video/video_prod_en.cfm?type=details&prodid=13862&src=1

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