By A. Jovanović, Steinbeis EU-VRi

The European Union has entered a decisive phase in its efforts to strengthen the resilience of critical entities. The European Directive on Critical Entity Resilience (CER Directive), adopted in 2022 and in force since 2023, became mandatory for all Member States on October 18, 2024. With this milestone, Europe now faces the complex task of translating policy into practice.

To support this process, the European Cluster for Securing Critical Infrastructures (ECSCI) is actively contributing by aligning research outcomes, stakeholder opinions, and collaborative activities. One of the latest initiatives is the ECSCI Short Workshop on:

📅 Wednesday, October 15, 2025
🕓 16:00–17:30 CET (14:00–15:30 UTC)
📍 Hybrid event, part of the CIPRE Conference

October 14–16, 2025, Brindisi, Italy

Why the CER Directive Matters

The CER Directive replaces the earlier Directive on Critical Infrastructures (2008) and represents a broader, more ambitious framework.

• National strategies for resilience must be adopted by EU Member States by 2026.
• The European Commission will report on compliance to the European Parliament and Council in 2027.
• A full impact review is planned for 2029.

The scope is vast: while the previous directive designated just over 100 cross-border critical infrastructures (CIs), the new framework anticipates identifying more than 15,000 CIs by 2027, involving an estimated 25,000+ experts from across operators, consultancies, governments, and stakeholders.

This scale, coupled with delays and the need to coordinate with other EU regulations such as NIS2, underlines both the importance and the complexity of implementation.

The ECSCI Contribution

ECSCI is committed to ensuring that research and practice are aligned with the Directive’s needs. The upcoming workshop will present results from an ECSCI survey on the implementation of the CER Directive and create space for expert dialogue on key issues:

• Current status and scientific/technical challenges
• National perspectives on CER implementation
• Lessons and parallels from outside the EU (US, Canada, Australia, Southeast Asia)
• The role of ISO standards in resilience regulation

Tentative Workshop Agenda

• Opening & Welcome – Organizers & Coordinators
• Current Status and Challenges of CER Implementation – F. Petit, EU-JRC
• ECSCI Survey Results – A. Jovanović, Steinbeis EU-VRi
• National Case Study: France – Ch. Sommade, Haut Comité Français pour la Résilience Nationale
• Comparative Perspectives:
  • US – I. Linkov, US Army Corps of Engineers
  • Canada – D. Komljenovic, Quebec Hydro
  • Australia & Southeast Asia – B. Roylett, RIMS Australasia Chapter
• Discussion (moderation: I. Bonetti onsite, A. Jovanović online)
• Closure

Discussion points will include:

• What kind of support is needed for effective implementation?
• How should stakeholders interact with the European Commission and national CER authorities?
• What are the implications for insurance, public-private partnerships, and other stakeholders?

Organizers

• Prof. Aleksandar JOVANOVIC (online coordinator), CEO, Steinbeis EU-VRi, Germany
• Manos ATHANATOS (onsite coordinator), Senior Technical Project Manager, Technical University of Crete, Greece
• Dr. Habtamu ABIE (ECSCI Coordinator), Chief Research Scientist, Norwegian Computing Center, Norway

Looking Ahead

The CER Directive marks a turning point in Europe’s resilience strategy. With thousands of critical infrastructures and stakeholders involved, its implementation will define how well Europe can safeguard essential services in the face of complex risks.

The ECSCI Short Workshop in Brindisi will provide a timely platform for discussing progress, challenges, and opportunities—bringing together voices from both inside and outside the EU.

For more details on ECSCI activities, visit: www.ecsci.eu