Implementation dialogue on cybersecurity policy with Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen

Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen held an Implementation Dialogue on Cybersecurity Policy in Brussels on 15 September 2025. 

The Dialogue brought together a broad range of stakeholders, including SMEs and civil society, representing companies and organisations active in sectors such as technology, finance, energy, aviation. The aim was to share insights and experience on implementation and simplification in the area of cybersecurity, while maintaining the required high level of cybersecurity. 

The Implementation Dialogue was organised in particular in the context of the preparations of the digital package on simplification as well as the revision of the Cybersecurity Act planned for later this year.

Summary Conclusions

Participants expressed strong support for a harmonised EU cybersecurity framework. There was consensus on the importance of simplifying regulatory compliance, reducing the documentation burden, and promoting innovation, while maintaining robust security standards. Representatives from all sectors, including SMEs, also emphasised the need for consistent implementation of rules throughout Member States, highlighting that the existing framework is often too complex and fragmented, and expressing preference for Regulations over Directives.

In particular, industry representatives underlined the importance of simplifying incident reporting processes and aligning timelines to achieve greater synergies between legislations such as NIS2, GDPR, and DORA. Many participants suggested moving towards a “report once – share many” approach, for example via a single reporting platform, to streamline the process and reduce duplication. They also asked to consider the role of the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) to facilitate such a solution. Moreover, there was a call for reducing documentation and simplifying compliance with risk-management measures, as well as for clarifying requirements eventually passed on throughout the whole supply chain. The need for more investment in cybersecurity capabilities and cyber skills in Europe, as well as the need for more strategic information sharing were also highlighted. Overall, there was a plea for a more consistent, harmonised approach across Members States. 

Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen thanked the participants and encouraged them to keep sharing their views. She emphasised her commitment to simplifying the cybersecurity legal framework for businesses, particularly for SMEs, and to improving cyber skills. She also highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance between security and innovation. The Executive Vice-President assured participants that their input would inform the simplification initiatives planned, in particular the Digital Omnibus and the revision of the Cybersecurity Act. 

Participants

AFNOR Group 
Airbus 
Anykey IT 
Bitdefender 
Cboe Clear 
Clever Cloud 
CyberLadies
Digital Europe
EDF Group 
Ericsson 
European Cyber Security Organisation (ECSO) 
Evolvice GmbH 
France Assureurs 
IKARUS Security Software 
Leonardo 
Mack & Schneider GmbH 
MEO
Nokia 
SAP SE 
SMEunited 
Thales 
TÜV SÜD 
WithSecure 

Related content

• Cybersecurity Policies
• Call for evidence