European Union adopts new legislation to strengthen cybersecurity

Amid increased cyberattacks, European Union has adopted the new revised Network and Information Systems directive (NIS2) to strengthen the EU’s cybersecurity work. These new rules are part of wider actions to build the EU’s resilience against physical and digital risks. It will strengthen the EU’s cybersecurity work by improving the resilience of public and private entities, introducing stricter enforcement and increasing information-sharing, read the EU Council press release. The move comes after many nations have started realizing the threat posed by Chinese technological advancements, however, many countries still depend on Chinese firms.
China is trying to use “coercive” ways to sabotage the digital infrastructure of nations that are least bothered about the growing threat of Beijing, Voice Against Autocracy reported. The report further said that China’s technological expansion is being led by Chinese firms that have been taking over global surveillance around the world.
Chinese telecommunication firms like Huawei, Hik vision, ZTE Corps, and others in the past 10 years have been funded by the Chinese Communist Party. According to the Voice Against Autocracy report, “China with its peculiar objectives is attempting to by-pass the obstacle of convincing nations to entrust its rise but, on a total contrary, is rather on the path of using coercive means to sabotage the digital infrastructure of nations that are least concerned about the rising Chinese threat.”
NIS2 will set the baseline for cybersecurity risk management measures and reporting obligations across all sectors that are covered by the directive, such as energy, transport, health, and digital infrastructure. The revised directive aims to harmonize cybersecurity requirements and implementation of cybersecurity measures in different member states. The new legislation also streamlines the reporting obligations in order to avoid causing over-reporting and creating an excessive burden on the entities covered.