Catherine Ashton, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the EC, Neelie Kroes, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Digital Agenda, and Cecilia Malmström, Member of the EC in charge of Home Affairs, gave a joint press conference on the EU Cybersecurity plan to protect open internet and online freedom and opportunity. They presented together a cybersecurity strategy alongside a EC proposed directive on network and information security (NIS).
The cybersecurity strategy – "An Open, Safe and Secure Cyberspace" - represented the EU's comprehensive vision on how best to prevent and respond to cyber disruptions and attacks. This was to further European values of freedom and democracy and ensure the digital economy could safely grow. Specific actions were aimed at enhancing cyber resilience of information systems, reducing cybercrime and strengthening EU international cyber-security policy and cyber defence.