The External Face of the EU’s Cybersecurity Policies: Promoting Good Cybersecurity Governance Abroad?

During the last ten years, the European Union (EU) has emerged as a strong international actor in the field of cybersecurity. Both the first EU cybersecurity strategy in 2013 and the latest cybersecurity strategy in 2020 have emphasised that one of the EU’s key aims is the promotion of its cybersecurity principles, norms, and rules abroad and the shaping of global standards in that policy field. The EU has, as a result, initiated cyber dialogues with third countries, started cyber capacity-building programmes, and is engaged in diplomatic efforts in various international fora where it is attempting to promote its preferred rules and models. This chapter first examines the content of good cybersecurity governance according to the EU and the channels and mechanisms that the EU uses for good governance promotion. It then assesses the challenges that the EU faces from alternative governance providers and the impact that these challenges have on the EU’s good cybersecurity governance promotion. Finally, the chapter analyses how several developments within the EU may similarly affect good governance promotion.