The European Standardization Organisations (ESOs) CEN, CENELEC, ETSI, together with ENISA, the EU Agency for Cybersecurity, successfully co-hosted the 9th Cybersecurity Standardization Conference on 20 March 2025 in Brussels.
The hybrid event brought together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and experts to discuss the evolving landscape of EU cybersecurity legislation and its implications for standardization. Continuing the tradition of success from previous years, the ninth edition of the conference attracted over 200 on-site attendees and 1500 online participants.
The conference, titled "European Standardization Supporting New Legislative Cybersecurity Landscape," addressed critical topics such as the state of play of European standardization, the interplay of cybersecurity legislation, and overarching cybersecurity by standards. The event aimed to foster dialogue and collaboration among stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of EU cybersecurity legislation.
Key highlights of the conference included:
- State of Play of European Standardization: The opening high-level panel discussed the current challenges and the role of European Standardization Organisations (ESOs) in the global ecosystem, together with potential synergies. Speakers emphasised the necessity of standardization in supporting the EU's strategic priorities and enhancing cybersecurity.
- Interplay of Cybersecurity Legislation: Experts explored how to map requirements from the current and upcoming EU legislative framework to specifications and standards and discussed on their progress. This interactive session explored the concept of harmonized standards (hENs) and their beneficial role in serving both consumer protection and industry interests while also supporting the EU legislative initiatives.
- Overarching Cybersecurity by Standards: The discussion further built on the previous panel, focusing now on the different approaches and methodologies towards standardization. Participants shared their views on the potential blend of the risk-based approach in the new regulatory framework with horizontal standards for risk management.
- Visions of the Future: The closing panel discussed the current and the future course of standardization industry amidst technological advancements and the geopolitical context.
The conference attracted a significant number of stakeholders, reflecting the growing importance of cybersecurity standardization in Europe. ENISA, CEN, CENELEC, and ETSI express their gratitude to all participants and look forward to continued collaboration in enhancing European cybersecurity standards.
For more information about the conference and future events, please visit the event website.
