JUN 07, 2018 | EUROPEAN UNION
BSA Supports Council 'General Approach' on EU Cyber Act; Encourages Flexibility During Trilogue Negotiations
Brussels, 8 June – BSA | The Software Alliance issued a letter yesterday, congratulating Member States on the formal adoption of a Council “General Approach” on the draft EU Cybersecurity Act Regulation (“EU Cyber Act”), planned for today’s EU Telecommunications Council (“TTE Council”) meeting, taking place in Luxembourg. In the letter, BSA commends the Council for the numerous improvements made to the draft Regulation as a way to link the legislation to the realities of today’s certification landscape.
“Cybersecurity is a cornerstone for the wide range of products and services our Members provide to customers across the EU and around the world. Consequently, we congratulate the Council on obtaining a General Approach and appreciate the effectiveness and efficiency of technical deliberations that Member States pursued under the Bulgarian Presidency” notes Thomas Boué, Director General, Policy – EMEA.
BSA also issued caution ahead of the upcoming trilogue negotiations with the European Commission and European Parliament on numerous provisions, which would benefit from further evaluation.
“However, the Council text does not sufficiently address the lack of clarity surrounding EU-wide recognition of future certification schemes along with the continued inclusion of specific technical requirements that must be achieved by each scheme. The technical standard setting process is an evolving environment that cannot be laid down in static legislation. We encourage Member States to show flexibility on these issues during the upcoming trilogue negotiations” concluded Boué.
ABOUT BSA
The Business Software Alliance (www.bsa.org) is the global trade association of the enterprise software industry, representing companies that are leaders in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and other cutting-edge technologies. We work in over 20 markets in the US, Europe, and Asia, advocating for policies that build trust in technology so that every industry sector and the public can benefit from innovation. BSA also supports its members and their customers by raising awareness of the risks of unlicensed software use and the benefits of software asset management, driving license compliance and software adoption around the world through sound IT procurement.