Enhancing the NCC Network

About this call

Expected Outcome:

Depending on the decision of each NCC, one or more of the following should be covered:

Network of national initiatives to accelerate the cybersecurity industry and facilitate Access-to-Market.

European frameworks for establishing cybersecurity incubators and accelerators.

Cybersecurity Community Observatory to inform subsequent policy interventions by the ECCC and NCCs.

Matchmaking events to create connections and build trust; platforms and events for Access-to-Finance and Access-to-Market including in the area of dual-use technologies.

Strengthened Cybersecurity Community to support the European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre; Maintained technical registration possibilities for candidates for the Cybersecurity Competence Community; Technical assistance for potential applicants for ECCC calls.

Uptake of cybersecurity solutions.

Strengthened cybersecurity capacities of stakeholders.

Synergetic activities that strengthen the role of NCC.

Centralised the many initiatives focusing on raising awareness and work together with other NCCs to support a cross European approach covering education, studies, training courses and awareness campaigns [1] Share and provide best practices related to the awareness topic.

Support the transfer of best practices related to cybersecurity teaching for primary and secondary school and other activities for children and youngsters (including camps, materials, games, etc.).

Support for teachers and professors to have access to best practices available in the EU and facilitate dialogue.

Support the development of cross-over educational solutions for SMEs, for example by gamification.

Cyber campaign material focused on young professionals and students of all ages and gender to pursue and advance in cybersecurity careers, where the NCCs can build on in view of regional differences.

Cyber campaign material focused on parents and teachers of future students of all ages and gender to raise the number of cybersecurity students.

Platform supporting a network of young cybersecurity ambassadors spreading awareness and fostering a culture of cybersecurity among Europe's youth.

Common services to be provided within national cyber campuses.

Hybrid events for the cybersecurity competence community to increase awareness of cybersecurity threats, threat actor modus operandi and potential impact, potentially in collaboration with existing initiatives and platforms.

Deliverables supporting the implementation of the Cyber skills Academy.

Support for activities dedicated to the EU Cybersecurity Challenges.

In addition, activities could cover setting up a platform integrating all other existing platforms, hosted and maintained at the European level under the .eu domain , so as to:

Establish and maintain a marketplace for cybersecurity products and services.

Allow the retrieval of information on entities adhering to the 27 NCC communities.

[1] The activities should consider other ongoing projects, activities, campaigns as well as the mandate of ENISA and other EU or national bodies. These actions should ensure synergies at EU level and should not duplicate efforts at EU or national levels.

Objective:

The National Coordination Centres (NCCs) set up by the Regulation (EU) 2021/887 are designed to work together through a network and to contribute to achieving the objectives of the regulation and to foster the Cybersecurity Competence Community in each Member State, by contributing to the acquisition of the necessary capacity. National Coordination Centres can also support priority areas such as the implementation of EU legislation (Directive (EU) 2022/2555, the proposed Cyber Resilience Act and the Cybersecurity Act).

The objective of this topic is to support the operation of the NCCs and to enable them to support the cybersecurity community, including SMEs, for the uptake and dissemination of state-of-the-art cybersecurity solutions and strengthen cybersecurity capacities. This could also be achieved by using Financial Support for Third Parties (FSTPs). Based on the financing received in previous years and on the different operational start dates in the Member States, this activity aims to continue providing support for NCCs.

In this regard, it is important to stress that individual NCC can choose from the list of activities and deliverables included in this topic depending on their interest and mandate. There is no obligation for NCCs to execute all actions.

This topic also considers providing support for the uptake of EU cybersecurity technologies and products, commercialisation and scale-up of the European cybersecurity start-up/SME ecosystem, in collaboration and complementarity with the European and ongoing national and regional initiatives, such as accelerator and incubation programmes and technology transfer programmes. Such a strategy should also include support for scale-ups, considering the use of public procurement and private investment.