Cybersecurity does not exist in isolation. In addition to cooperation within the EU, the strategy includes the collaboration with international partners in efforts to advance global and open cyberspace.  “International cooperation is essential to keeping cyberspace global, open, stable and secure“, states the strategy. Building stronger ties with international partners and supporting capacity building in third countries are vital blocks of EU’s approach.

The strategy calls for creating an EU External Capacity Building Agenda to improve coherence of the Union’s action and streamline the work. “The Agenda should leverage the expertise of Member States and relevant EU institutions, bodies and agencies and initiatives, including the EU’s Cyber Capacity Building Network, in line with their respective mandates”. The recognition of the EU CyberNet’s role is recognised in the strategic document and we will continue our efforts to deliver on the strategy. By engaging with our Stakeholder Community and Expert Pool, we can support the implementation of the Agenda and contribute to the work of EU Cyber Capacity Building Board, a formation that will monitor the progress regarding the Agenda.

EU cyber capacity building plans to continue focussing on the Western Balkans and in the EU’s neighbourhood, as well as on partner countries experiencing a rapid digital development. The strategy reflects the same suggestions that were made at the EU CyberNet’s Annual Conference on 30 October 2020 regarding the geographical scope. EU CyberNet sees potential for capacity building work in African continent and Latin America to develop legislation and policies of partner countries in line with relevant EU cyber diplomacy policies and standards. Another specific goal for us rising from the strategy is to support developing a training programme dedicated to EU staff in charge of the implementation of EU digital and cyber external capacity building efforts.