European Union Cyber Rapid Response Teams (CRRTs) created in EU

EU created CRRTs. Six European countries achieved an agreement on the establishment of the European Union Cyber Rapid Response Teams (CRRTs) under the leadership of Lithuania. Ministers of Defense of Lithuania, Estonia, Croatia, Poland, the Netherlands and Romania signed the document in Zagreb (Croatia).

Under the agreement, international CRRTs teams will be on standby in different countries, ready to respond to cyberattack at any time.

A document entitled “Memorandum of Understanding” legally allows the use of cyber forces in the jurisdictions of different countries, defines the mechanism of their work, legal status, role and procedures.

“This is a completely novel multinational cyber capability which was initiated and guided by Lithuania. Every state faces cybersecurity challenges, we have to join forces because cyber warfare is ongoing and it knows no borders. It is also a concrete and clear example of EU countries contributing to a stronger European defence and supporting NATO defence and deterrence measures by non-military means”, — Minister of National Defence Raimundas Karoblis said after signing the Memorandum.

Cyber forces will be able to take preventive measures and conduct risk assessments, as well as provide assistance to European institutions, other EU countries and partners. The project will also facilitate the exchange of best practices and increase efficiency of use of the technological and human resources in the fight against cyber threats.

Europe has good reasons to fear even at the level of state structures, for example, recently Russian hackers from Cozy Bear attacked European foreign ministries. Another mysterious case took place when all Internet traffic of European companies for several hours went through China.

Lithuania made a proposal to create a cybernetic rapid reaction force in 2017 as part of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) project.

“I am very pleased that CRRTs were the first PESCO project implemented,” said Lithuanian Minister of Defense Raimundas Karoblis.

Cyber Rapid Response Teams (CRRTs) will allow the Member States to help each other to ensure a higher level of cyber resilience and collectively respond to cyber incidents. CRRTs could be used to assist other Member States, EU Institutions, CSDP operations as well as partners.