The EU’s Joint Response: Impact, Coordination and Cooperation with Australia?’ at 3rd European-Australian Cybersecurity Dialogue

The annual KAS Australia-Europe 1.5 track Cybersecurity Dialogue, this year already in its third iteration, aims to bring together senior government representatives, policy makers, academic experts, practitioners and members of the diplomatic corps to share their views, develop better understandings and explore how cooperation could be strengthened. This year’s dialogue will have to take place in a slightly altered virtual format – the overarching theme of ‘Cybersecurity in Crisis Times- A Way Forward for Europe and Australia’ will be addressed through separate virtual discussion sessions with speakers and participants from Europe and Australia, via Webex.

Julia Schuetze is chairing the session on EU's Joint Responses and their impact on coordination and cooperation with Australia. Speakers are Manon LeBlanc, Senior Policy Officer at European External Action Service, Rachael Falk, CEO of the Australian Cybersecurity Cooperative Research Centre and Dr André Barrinha, Senior Lecturer in International Relations, Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies, University of Bath. 

With the EU Cyber Diplomacy toolbox and the blueprint for EU-coordinated responses in case of large-scale incidents, the EU has established a set of internal tools to enable a wider EU-level response. In the past, EU member states have joint ‘Coalitions of the Willing and Capable’, some of which were led by Australia, e.g. the NotPetya coordinated attribution effort. This was then followed up by an EU statement. As the EU is internally practicing their responses, aiming to go as far as sanctions, this development impacts the relationship with third countries. How do EU level responses impact coordination and cooperation with third countries like Australia? Input speakers and participants will talk through different scenarios and discuss coordination and cooperation options and their challenges. This will shed some light on the current views on the European and Australian relationship and creates the opportunity to gather some perspectives from EU diplomats, some key member states and Australia, as well as academic insights on the topic. 

A session report will be provided publicly.