A New Era of Cyber Trust in Europe
The EU Cybersecurity Act (Regulation EU 2019/881), which took effect in June 2019, marked a major step forward in the European Union’s cybersecurity strategy.
Its goal is clear: to increase trust, transparency, and consistency in how cybersecurity is managed, assessed, and certified across all member states.
Where earlier initiatives such as the NIS Directive (2016) focused primarily on national cybersecurity strategies and incident reporting, the Cybersecurity Act moves the focus toward harmonized standards and market-wide assurance.
It aims to create a single European framework that supports both public authorities and private companies in building a safer digital economy.
Two Pillars of the Cybersecurity Act
The regulation rests on two key pillars that together form the foundation for a stronger, more resilient digital Europe:
1️⃣ Empowering ENISA, and
2️⃣ Establishing a European cybersecurity certification framework.
1. Empowering ENISA: A Permanent Mandate for Cyber Resilience
The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) has long played a central role in coordinating the EU’s cybersecurity efforts.
With the Cybersecurity Act, ENISA receives a permanent and expanded mandate, elevating its authority and responsibilities.
ENISA’s enhanced role includes:
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Supporting EU cybersecurity policy development and national implementation.
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Coordinating cooperation and information sharing among member states.
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Collecting and disseminating threat intelligence across the EU.
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Organizing large-scale cyber crisis simulations to improve cross-border readiness.
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Managing EU-wide cybersecurity certification schemes under the new framework.
By strengthening ENISA’s position, the EU ensures a consistent, long-term foundation for collaboration, expertise, and coordinated response across the region.
2. The EU Cybersecurity Certification Framework
The second pillar of the Cybersecurity Act introduces a unified certification framework for ICT products, services, and processes.
This initiative aims to build trust and comparability across national markets by providing a common set of cybersecurity assurance levels.
Certification allows manufacturers, service providers, and software vendors to demonstrate that their solutions meet clearly defined security standards.
This is particularly crucial for critical sectors such as healthcare, energy, telecommunications, and financial services — where reliability and resilience are essential.
Three Levels of Assurance
The framework defines three standardized assurance levels that reflect the robustness of cybersecurity measures applied:
| Assurance Level | Protection Focus | Use Case Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Protection against common, low-complexity threats | Small-scale applications, consumer devices |
| Substantial | Protection against more sophisticated, targeted threats | Business services, cloud platforms |
| High | Protection against advanced, persistent attacks | Critical infrastructure, defense, energy systems |
Certification under these levels remains voluntary — unless mandated by specific legislation such as NIS2 or DORA.
This flexible approach encourages innovation while promoting transparency and interoperability across the European digital market.
Why the Cybersecurity Act Matters
In an interconnected economy, trust is the foundation of digital progress.
The Cybersecurity Act contributes to that trust by offering:
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Assurance that certified ICT products meet EU-defined cybersecurity standards.
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Transparency through clear labeling of protection levels.
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Market simplification, replacing fragmented national certification schemes with a unified European framework.
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Incentives for security-by-design, encouraging vendors to integrate cybersecurity into development from the start.
For organizations procuring or managing ICT systems, the Act provides a structured and comparable benchmark for evaluating risk and supplier reliability.
How RiskStudio Supports the Cybersecurity Act
While RiskStudio does not issue cybersecurity certifications, its platform directly supports the goals and expectations set out by the EU Cybersecurity Act.
RiskStudio helps organizations translate certification and trust principles into practical supply chain risk management by providing continuous visibility into the cybersecurity posture of vendors, suppliers, and third-party technologies.
With RiskStudio, you can:
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Monitor vendor compliance
Check whether suppliers use certified ICT components or services recognized under EU certification schemes. -
Identify misconfigurations and vulnerabilities
Detect real-world deviations from certification expectations — such as outdated systems or exposed assets. -
Evaluate supplier risk dynamically
Leverage RiskStudio’s cyber ratings, breach tracking, and vulnerability data to benchmark vendors against certification standards. -
Enhance procurement decisions
Incorporate certification data and RiskStudio insights into vendor selection, audits, and renewal processes.
Together, these capabilities enable organizations to move beyond formal compliance toward continuous assurance and proactive oversight.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What is the EU Cybersecurity Act?
It’s a European regulation (EU 2019/881) that establishes a unified framework for cybersecurity certification and grants ENISA a permanent mandate.
2. When did the Act take effect?
The regulation became effective in June 2019 and applies across all EU member states.
3. What are the main objectives of the Act?
To enhance trust, transparency, and harmonization in cybersecurity across the EU — particularly through certification and coordination.
4. Is certification under the Act mandatory?
No, certification is voluntary unless required by other legislation like NIS2 or DORA.
5. How does the Cybersecurity Act relate to ENISA?
It gives ENISA a permanent mandate and expanded responsibilities in cybersecurity coordination, policy support, and certification management.
6. How does RiskStudio align with the Act?
RiskStudio helps organizations assess, monitor, and manage supplier security in line with the Act’s focus on trust, transparency, and risk-based decision-making.
Conclusion
The EU Cybersecurity Act represents a cornerstone of Europe’s digital security framework — shifting from fragmented national rules to a unified, trust-based approach.
By combining ENISA’s oversight and EU-wide certification, the Act enhances transparency and promotes a culture of accountability in cybersecurity.
With RiskStudio, organizations can take these principles further — applying them across their supply chains to ensure every vendor, product, and service aligns with the spirit of the Cybersecurity Act:
secure by design, transparent by default, and resilient in practice.