National Cyber Security Centre to be designated as Finland’s National Coordination Centre in the EU for cyber security matters

The Ministry of Transport and Communications will start preparations for the designation of the National Cyber Security Centre operating under the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency as Finland's National Coordination Centre in the EU for cyber security matters. The new role would provide the Cyber Security Centre with more opportunities to support the information security sector in Finland.

The designation is based on a regulation to be adopted this year on the establishment of the European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre and the Network of National Coordination Centres.

The purpose of the National Coordination Centre is to operate as Finland's contact, coordination and support point in the network of the Coordination Centres. It has a further task to gather a community of stakeholders that will act as part of the EU-wide Cyber Security Competence Community. The community will strengthen the links to the research sector and intensify cooperation between the public administration and the private sector.

The new tasks would strengthen the role of the Cyber Security Centre in supporting Finnish business and industry based on cyber security. The Cyber Security Centre would facilitate the emergence of new enterprises and the building of an entire information security cluster in Finland.

The Cyber Security Centre is already responsible for many of the tasks laid down in the regulation for the National Coordination Centres. New tasks based on the regulation would include the channelling of the funds to be allocated for cyber security from the Digital Europe and Horizon Europe programmes.

The new tasks to be appointed to the Cyber Security Centre call for amendments in the Act on Electronic Communication Services. The funding and resourcing needs of the Coordination Centre would amount to approximately one million euros per year. EU funding for the first two years would cover a half of the sum.

The appointment of the Cyber Security Centre as the Coordination Centre would support the objectives set out in Finland's Cyber Security Strategy 2019 and the upcoming government resolution on the Cyber Security Development Programme.

The designation of the National Coordination Centre should be in force at the end of 2021.

The European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology and Research Competence Centre will be located in Bucharest, Romania.

Inquiries:

Elina Immonen, Director of Unit, tel. +358 50 303 2686, Twitter: @ImmonenElina

Erica Karppinen, Senior Officer, tel. +358 50 467 1278

Olli Lehtilä, Ministerial Adviser, tel. +358 50 321 2806