Schwarzenberg stage | Resilient on Paper, Ready in Practice? Europe's Cyber Preparedness in Focus

As cyber threats become faster, smarter, and increasingly shaped by AI, Europe faces a defining strategic question: is it truly cyber ready? New technologies are transforming both attack and defence, while growing geopolitical tensions and reliance on major technology providers are forcing Europe to confront difficult questions about security, trust, and digital sovereignty. At the same time, national cybersecurity authorities remain on the frontlines of preparedness, yet uneven capabilities and coordination challenges risk weakening Europe’s collective response. As the cyber domain becomes central to economic security and geopolitical stability, strengthening operational cooperation between governments, industry, and institutions will be critical. This panel will explore whether Europe’s cyber preparedness matches the scale of today’s risks and what it will take to move from resilience to true readiness. How is the cyber threat landscape evolving, particularly with the growing role of AI in both cyberattacks and cyber defence? How should Europe think about technological dependencies in cybersecurity and the broader geopolitics of these dependencies? How are national cybersecurity agencies adapting to these technological and geopolitical shifts, and where do capability gaps remain? What practical improvements are needed to strengthen cooperation between national authorities, EU institutions, and the private sector? Speakers: Juhan Lepassaar, Executive Director, ENISA Lukáš Kintr, Director, National Cyber & Information Security Agency, Czechia Admiral Michael Rogers, Former Director, NSA & Commander, U.S. Cyber Command Despina Spanou, Deputy Director-General, DG CONNECT, European Commission Staffan Truvé, Co-Founder & CTO, Recorded Future Led by: Anushka Kaushik, Senior Research Fellow & Cyber Lead, GLOBSEC"