Towards the autonomous defence capabilities of the European Union: Upgrading cyber defence policy

Abstract Cyber attacks against the EU and its Member States have increased in recent times, which demonstrates the rapid blurring of the boundaries between the civilian and military components of cyberspace. Indeed, these events clearly highlight the critical interdependence between physical and digital infrastructures. While Member States have different and divergent perceptions of the prevailing threats, the EU, as guarantor of security, has been implementing strategies since the early 2000s to pursue a joint action aligned with the objective outlined in Article 24 of the TEU, namely, a common European defence also in cyberspace. This paper will thoroughly analyse the latest European initiative on cyber defence policy, adopted in November 2022, to highlight new aspects and previous elements trying to answer whether we are making any real progress in this area.