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techUK's Cyber Resilience Delegation to Brussels

20 October 20264 min read
Event Round-up
Flags of multiple nations flying on poles at an international event

The delegation brought together a broad cross-section of the UK's cyber sector, from global consultancies and defence primes to sovereign SMEs, legal and policy advisory practices, and specialists in threat intelligence and blockchain analytics. techUK thanks all delegates for their time and expertise, and for helping make the visit a valuable one.

Our Delegates:

Freha Arshad, Managing Director, Accenture

Richard Barrington, Public Policy Professional, Cavero Secure

James Clark, Sales Director, BAE Systems Digital Intelligence

Andrew Cooke, Director Technology Policy Advisory Practice, CMS

Ksenia Duxfield-Karyakina, Managing Director for Emerging Tech, Forefront - Vice-Chair, techUK Cloud Council

Lucia Lopez Carasa, Manager, Public Policy, Brussels, Liberty Global

Ben Lyons, Senior Director for Policy and Public Affairs, Darktrace

Kat Sommer, Director, Government Affairs & Analyst Relations, NCC Group

Jordan Wain, Global Policy Lead, Chainalysis

Bart Zalewski, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Complus IT Ltd

Meeting the Brussels policy community

Delegates engaged with eight key stakeholders across the two days. This included a meeting with the UK Mission to the EU, and with NATO. At the European Cyber Security Organisation, delegates met Roberto Cascella, Chief Technology Officer, and Cristian Tracci, Strategy Officer. Member state engagement included Katarzyna Prusak-Górniak, Head of Digital Affairs Unit at the Polish Permanent Representation to the EU, Sacha Baudinet, Cyber Counsellor at the French Permanent Representation to the EU, and Veronika Chvála Vinklárková, Czech Digital Attaché, who joined a breakfast roundtable on Cloud and AI Development Act and Europe's technology sovereignty choices hosted by Forefront Advisers.

On the EU institutions side, delegates met MEP Diego Solier, co-rapporteur on CADA, and Despina Spanou, Deputy Director-General for DG CNECT at the European Commission. Delegates also met with AWEX, the Walloon Export and Foreign Investment Agency, to discuss regional trade links between the UK and the Wallonia region of Belgium. Across these meetings, delegates came away with a strong sense of appetite among Brussels counterparts to keep the conversation with the UK going, alongside a feeling that excluding UK industry from the EU's resilience-building work could overlook a partner already embedded in defending Europe's digital infrastructure.

Key Outcomes and Observations

Delegates noted the significant number of policy files currently being handled across EU institutions, reinforcing the relevance and timeliness of the issues discussed. There was a strong sense that many stakeholders are now looking to institutionalise mechanisms for collaboration that have, until now, relied on more informal arrangements. It was encouraging to see a clear recognition of the value the UK brings to the cyber sector, both in terms of innovation and expertise.

CADA was one of the most discussed files of the visit, with particular focus on the proposed four-tier system, whether the UK would be treated as a trusted partner, and continuing uncertainty around Article 18 and third-party access. The themes that resonated most strongly with delegates were questions around scope, the balance between public and private sector involvement, and the role of the UK as a trusted partner. These issues still appeared to be very much open for debate. It was also interesting to hear how these discussions are creating differing perspectives within the various EU institutions themselves, highlighting the complexity of the policy landscape.

Overall, engagement with EU stakeholders was highly positive, and delegates were able to outline the importance of the UK cyber ecosystem's contribution to the EU's broader security posture. Stakeholders were receptive to members views and willing to engage in constructive discussion, reinforcing the value of maintaining close engagement and a strong partnership with the UK and the Mission in Brussels.

Across the delegation's meetings on the wider EU Sovereignty Package, several common themes became apparent, underpinned by repeated discussion of the following key legislative proposals:

  • CADA (Cloud and AI Development Act) for reasons as mentioned above.

  • CSA2 (Cyber Security Act revision) – conversations centred on the renewal of ENISA's mandate, the shape of the certification scheme, rules on high-risk vendors and supply chain security.

  • NIS2 and incident reporting – raised as part of the broader resilience picture and the practical compliance burden for UK firms operating in the EU.

  • Timelines and process – a shared acknowledgement that much remains in motion, with a range of possible dates floated for different elements of this policy to take effect. Diego Solier MEP, who brings an industry background to his role as co-rapporteur for CADA, spoke about the value of giving the private sector earlier visibility, and discussed early plans for a platform that could let industry follow the policy's progress and share views as it develops.

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A delegate's perspective:

Feedback from the delegation was very positive, with delegates commending the techUK team on both the range of stakeholders engaged and the calibre of discussions held throughout the visit. A key takeaway was the importance of face-to-face engagement with EU stakeholders, as delegates highlighted the value of direct dialogue, particularly during the Commission proposal stage, where negotiation can play a crucial role.

“techUK did a brilliant job organising this visit to Brussels. It was a very strategic programme, with senior engagement across key policy stakeholders and important conversations at a time when dialogue between the UK and the EU on cyber resilience and sovereignty could not matter more. And what a great opportunity to connect with peers from across the industry. We did have fun too!” – Ksenia Duxfield-Karyakina, Managing Director for Emerging Tech, Forefront.

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Looking ahead

techUK views this delegation as a valuable point of connection for members to stay involved with the evolving EU tech policy landscape, and an important step to keep the UK cyber community involved in the conversation. techUK will stay closely involved with this agenda, maintaining and building our relationship with the policymakers and regulators we met as CADA, CSA2 and NIS2 continue to develop. We will ensure members are kept updated as the detail of this policy takes shape and will continue working to ensure UK cyber companies are represented in these discussions.

Interested in becoming part of this discussion? Our International Policy team is also gathering member views on CADA are communicated back to our contacts in Brussels, for information on how to get involved please reach out to Theo Maiziere at – theo.maiziere@techuk.org .

Members following this agenda may also want to read two recent techUK reports, Confident Sovereignty and Towards a UK-EU Partnership for a New Age.

If you have any questions about the delegation or would like to discuss further, please get in touch with Jill Broom or Olivia Staples.