Introduction to Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL)
Digital technology and infrastructure have a critical role in our private lives and business environments. We rely on them to communicate, work, advance science and answer current environmental problems. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted not only how much we rely on our technology to be available to us, but also how important it is for Europe not to be dependent on systems and solutions coming from other regions of the world.
The Digital Europe Programme (DIGITAL) provides strategic funding to answer these challenges, supporting projects in key capacity areas such as: supercomputing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, advanced digital skills, and ensuring a wide use of digital technologies across the economy and society. It supports industry, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and public administration in their digital transformation with a reinforced network of European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH).
With an overall budget of over €7.9 billion, DIGITAL aims to shape the digital transformation of Europe’s society and economy, in line with EU’s goals defined in the Communication – 2030 Digital Compass: The European way for the Digital Decade and in the Policy Programme – Path to the Digital Decade.
The Digital Europe Programme does not address challenges in isolation, It complements the funding available through other EU programmes, such as the Horizon Europe (for research and innovation) and the Connecting Europe Facility (for digital infrastructure), the Recovery and Resilience Facility and the Structural funds, to name a few. It is a part of the long-term EU budget, the Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027.
Agenda
28 November 2024
09:30 – 10:00 Welcome Coffee
10:00 – 10:15 Introduction to the Proceedings (Ioan Constantin, Orange Romania)
10:15 – 11:15
Introduction to the DIGITAL Projects (15 minutes each) (Project’s Representatives)
- SOCCER – Security Operation Centers Capacity building for European Resilience
- Anastasia Walter (Signal Iduna Group, Coordinator) and Romain Doumenc (Trout Software, Project Partner) – Project presentation and success story of Security Hub – ECCC funding for as a game changer for product development
- CYRESRANGE – Cyber Ranges Resiliency Networks
- Prof. Gabriel Raicu, Rector, Constanța Maritime University
- 5G-TACTIC – 5G Trusted and Secure Network Services
- Anna Tzanakaki, Professor at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
- ECYBRIDGE – Strengthening Synergies in Defence and Civilian Cybersecurity
- Dr. Nicu Iancu, Vice-President, Maritime Cybersecurity Center of Excellence
11:15 – 11:30 Break
11:30 – 12:30 Panel Discussion: On the opportunities and challenges of a synergetic approach to capacity building in DIGITAL Cybersecurity Projects
| Invitees | Role |
| Mr. Dan Cimpean – The Director of Romanian National Cyber Security Directorate | Speaker |
| Mr. Sorin Stanica – Head of Crime Prevention Bureau, within the Research and Crime Prevention Institute of the Romanian Police | Speaker |
| Mr. Tomáš Hettych – Alternate Board Member in the Governing Board of ECCC (SK) | Speaker |
| Mr. Alex Mușat – Head of IR and Security Operations Bit Sentinel | Speaker |
| Mr. Ioan Constantin – Cyber Security Expert, Orange Romania (RO) | Moderator |
12:30 Conclusions, Next Steps (Facilitators / Moderators)
Projects description
SOCCER – Security Operation Centers Capacity building for European Resilience:
The project “Security Operation Centers Capacity building for European Resilience – SOCCER”, established to answer the European call DIGITAL-ECCC-2022-CYBER-03-SOC – Capacity building of Security Operation Centers (SOCs) – brings together a consortium of cyber and technology experts from Germany, France, Hungary, and Romania. Over the period of 36 months our proposal seeks to develop and implement cutting-edge technologies for secure access to data (Security Hub) and the sharing of threat intelligence signals (TIS) across European entities, allowing for reinforced capacities to monitor and detect cyber threats. Interconnect and strengthen advanced Security Operation Centers (SOCs) ecosystems in Germany, Hungary and Romania, with the goal of enhancing cyber security resilience at both the national and EU levels.
CYRESRANGE – Cyber Ranges Resiliency Networks
The main CYRESRANGE’s objective is to foster capabilities of existing cyber ranges to create a network of Cyber Security Centers of Excellence at the national and regional level based on interconnected cyber ranges, with a focus on improving experience for scenario developers and introducing a comprehensive gamified experience for students. Our ambition is to create the premises of building a community of content creators that will create the premises of a new job in cyber security and professionals that will develop their cybersecurity skills and expertise in key technologies and introducing a cost-effective technology to onboard new cyber ranges.
5G-TACTIC – 5G Trusted and Secure Network Services
5G-TACTIC focuses on 5G networks Cybersecurity and Trust and brings together National Regulation Authorities from 3 EU Members States and Cybersecurity Authorities from 3 Member States, technology innovating European SMEs developing Open 5G solutions and security services, infrastructure providers & mobile network operators. These will collaborate with research & academic institutes to develop secure, open, disaggregated & interoperable 5G solutions to support an open & competitive 5G European ecosystem.
5GTACTIC technical activities include development of a 5G Cybersecurity toolbox, extensive security analysis, evaluation, testing and relevant mitigation measures for the 5G solution. The planned activities also involve piloting, integration and evaluation of multivendor open 5G solutions considering security aspects. In addition, the project will carry out training activities addressing technical and security audiences as well as European Regulator and Cybersecurity Authorities
ECYBRIDGE – Strengthening Synergies in Defence and Civilian Cybersecurity
The ECYBRIDGE project is a collaborative initiative involving 17 consortium members from academia, defense, government bodies, and cybersecurity companies, aimed at significantly advancing collective defense and building a resilient Cybersecurity Union. Endorsed by the EU Commission as a “quantum leap” for European security, ECYBRIDGE promotes the integration of civilian and defense cybersecurity efforts across Europe. The project emphasizes a 360-degree approach, fostering collaboration between national civilian and defense authorities, academia, industry, and NGOs. Through regulatory, investment, and policy recommendations, ECYBRIDGE aims to set new standards for cybersecurity, addressing contemporary challenges with joint operational actions, technological innovations, and enhanced investments to strengthen European cybersecurity.