The Council has approved conclusions that acknowledge the increased use of consumer products and industrial devices connected to the internet and the related new risks for privacy, information security and cyber security. The conclusions set out priorities to address this crucial issue, and to boost the global competitiveness of the EU’s IoT industry by ensuring the highest standards of resilience, safety and security.

The conclusions underline the importance of assessing the need for horizontal legislation in the long term to address all relevant aspects of the cyber security of connected devices, such as availability, integrity and confidentiality. This would include specifying the necessary conditions for placement on the market.

The Council says that cyber security certification, as defined under the Cybersecurity Act of 2019, will be essential for raising the level of security within the digital single market. The EU Agency for Cybersecurity, ENISA, is already working on cybersecurity certification schemes, and the Council’s conclusions invite the Commission to consider a request for candidate cyber security certification schemes for connected devices and related services. To read the Council’s press release in full and for a link to the conclusions, click here.