Cyber Conference 2018: ESDC as a new actor in cyberspace

The conference was opened by the President of Estonia, Ms Kersti Kaljulaid, who underlined the importance of raising everyone's awareness of the risks and threats in cyberspace: 'We should support the people in their use of e-tools and mitigate the dark side of the internet.' The internet is an open space with no boundaries; any incident in cyberspace therefore has an international and cross-border dimension.

The European Security and Defence College was invited to participate in the panel 'Cyber Security Training and Education'. Dr Jochen Rehrl, Chair of the EAB.eLCIP configuration, explained the role of the College within the crisis management structures of the European External Action Service before focusing on the creation of the new cyber structures of the ESDC: 'With the creation of the Cyber ETEE platform, the ESDC will be able to provide cyber security and defence training to civilian, police and military personnel, including in line with CSDP requirements for all CSDP training levels.'

Background: On 6 February 2018, the ESDC was tasked by the 28 EU Member States to establish a Cyber Education, Training, Evaluation and Exercise (ETEE) platform within the college structure. The initial operating capability will be reached by November 2018.