Selection of the seat of the EU cybersecurity competence centre
The EU has established a new cybersecurity centre to improve cyber resilience, support research and step up technological development efforts.
Why an EU cybersecurity competence centre?
The EU has established the European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre to further improve cyber resilience, support cybersecurity research and step up technological development efforts across the EU.
The new centre will:
- facilitate the work of the network of national coordination centres
- deliver cybersecurity-related financial support from the Horizon Europe and Digital Europe programmes
The centre aims to:
- contribute to the deployment of the latest cybersecurity technology
- support cybersecurity start-ups and SMEs
- enhance cybersecurity research and innovation
- contribute to closing the cybersecurity skills gap
The Council adopted the regulation establishing the centre and the network in April 2021.
The procedure for the selection of the seat of the European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre (ECCC) was launched on 28 October 2020. The decision required common agreement by the member states.
Member states voted on the seat of the ECCC on 9 December 2020, in the margins of the Committee of the permanent representatives of the governments of the member states to the European Union (Coreper). The selected location of the centre is Bucharest, Romania.
Applications to host the new centre
These are the other countries that offered to host the seat of the European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre:
Belgium (Brussels)
- Belgium’s application for the ECCC
- Letter from the Belgian ambassador
- Additional document accompanying Belgium’s application: brochure
- Additional annex to Belgium’s application: security services
Germany (Munich)
- Germany’s application for the ECCC
- Additional document accompanying Germany’s application (English)
- Additional document accompanying Germany’s application (German)
Lithuania (Vilnius)
- Lithuania’s application for the ECCC
- Letter from the Lithuanian ambassador
- Additional document accompanying Lithuania’s application: brochure (English)
- Additional document accompanying Lithuania’s application: brochure (French)
- Additional document accompanying Lithuania’s application: location information
- Additional document accompanying Lithuania’s application: schools and social security
Luxembourg
- Luxembourg’s application for the ECCC
- Additional document accompanying Luxembourg’s application
- Additional document accompanying Luxembourg’s application: brochure
Poland (Warsaw)
- Poland’s application for the ECCC
- Letter from the Polish Secretary of State
- Additional document accompanying Poland’s application: authentication
Spain (Leon)
Steps of the procedure to select the new seat
The procedure consisted of:
- applications by member states to host the European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre, to be submitted by 6 November 2020
- publication of the applications on the Council's website on 11 November 2020
- assessment of the applications by the European Commission based on the agreed criteria by 2 December 2020
- political discussion based on the Commission's assessment and a decision by vote by the representatives of all member states in the margins of the Coreper I meeting on 9 December 2020
How the seat of the Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre will be selected (infographic)
Assessment criteria
On 28 October 2020, the representatives of the governments of the member states agreed on the following criteria:
- the date on which the centre can become operational
- accessibility of the location
- presence of educational facilities for the children of the centre's staff
- access to the labour market, social security and medical care for employees' spouses and children
- connectivity, security and interoperability with IT facilities to handle EU funding
- existence of a cybersecurity ecosystem
- geographical balance
On 2 December 2020, the Commission issued its general assessment of all the applications received within the deadline.
- European Commission assessment note
- Assessment of Belgium’s application
- Assessment of Germany’s application
- Assessment of Lithuania’s application
- Assessment of Luxembourg’s application
- Assessment of Poland’s application with corrigendum
- Assessment of Romania’s application
- Assessment of Spain’s application
Political discussion and vote
Representatives of the governments of member states hold a political discussion on the selection of the seat of the new centre, based on the Commission's assessment in the margins of Coreper I.
The representatives voted to fix the seat of the ECCC in Bucharest, Romania, on 9 December 2020.