Belgium and Slovenia have officially joined the EU's Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Cyber Rapid Response Teams And Mutual Assistance In Cyber Security project, coordinated by

Lithuania, according to the Baltic country's Ministry of National Defense. The project, launched in 2018, is a permanent capability that can be used both within the EU and also to support EU partners and EU military missions and operations under the Common Security and Defense Policy.

In response to cyber incidents and crises, the Cyber Rapid Response Teams consist of 8-12 nationally-delegated cyber security experts from six EU member states, including Croatia, Estonia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, and Romania. They can also be activated as a preventive measure, for example, to assess vulnerability and monitor elections.

National Defense Minister Arvydas Anusauskas congratulated Belgium and Slovenia on joining the initiative and emphasized the importance of joint efforts to mitigate growing cyber threats. Hostile cyber activity levels have increased since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, and in times like these, it is essential to collaborate and strengthen cyber security measures.

With the addition of Belgium and Slovenia, the number of participants has increased to eight. The Cyber Rapid Response Teams project aims to enhance the EU's cyber defense capabilities, enable swift and coordinated responses to cyber threats, and promote solidarity and cooperation among EU member states. Photo by Ecole polytechnique, Wikimedia commons.