Yesterday the Council adopted EU rules to support the fight against cybercrime, in particular large-scale attacks on information systems. Member States will have an obligation to comply with the new Directive and implement its provisions into national legislation within a maximum of two years.
Cecilia Malmström, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs, said: “I very much welcome the final adoption of this Directive, which will significantly boost Europe’s defences against cyberattacks and contribute to strengthening the EU citizen’s confidence online. I trust that Member states will act swiftly and promptly to implement the new rules that define criminal offences and sanctions in the area of cybercrime, improve the reporting of relevant cyberincidents to law enforcement authorities and provide for the sharing of Member States’ crime statistics with the EU. I cannot stress enough the need for better information on cybercrime: it allows for a more complete picture of the extent of cybercrimes and enables a targeted and appropriate policy response. I am confident that the new Directive will contribute to improve cross-border police cooperation and will establish more effective monitoring systems and data collection. We all need to work together to achieve the objectives that we have set ourselves. It is therefore essential that all Member States get up to speed and make cybersecurity a top priority.” Here to read more.
