Bucharest will host the European Cybersecurity Industrial, Technology, and Research Competence Centre, which is meant to improve cyber-resilience and support cybersecurity research across the EU.

It will be the first EU agency Romania hosts, foreign affairs minister Bogdan Aurescu noted when making the announcement. 

Exceptional success for #Romania: after intense diplomatic efforts, #Bucharest was elected to host the EU’s Cybersecurity Centre - the 1st EU Agency in RO. 🇷🇴expertise in IT was acknowledged in the 🇪🇺. RO is ready to work hard for a European #cybersecurity ecosystem

— Bogdan Aurescu (@BogdanAurescu) December 10, 2020

Bucharest was chosen from a list of cities that included Brussels, Munich, Warsaw, Vilnius, Luxembourg, and León (Spain).

In its application to host the center, Romania highlighted the "broad pool of IT&C specialists due to its excellent education system in this area" and that it ranks third in the EU statistics referring to the women ICT specialists, much above the EU average. A total of 24% of ICT graduates in Romania are female.

Bucharest also hosts the Cybercrime Program Office of the Council of Europe (C-PROC). This assists countries in strengthening their legal systems capacity to respond to the challenges posed by cybercrime.

The center will implement cybersecurity-related financial support from Horizon Europe and the Digital Europe Program. 

The new center is expected to bring some 30 jobs to Bucharest, going up to an estimated 80, Politico.eu reported.

"Hub for high tech and innovation, featuring a thriving digital ecosystem, dynamic and young, Romania's capital will take this task in a responsible and dedicated manner, to the benefit of the entire European Union," Romania's permanent representation to the EU said

🎉#Bucharest to be the host of the future EU #Cyber Centre🎉Hub for high tech and innovation, featuring a thriving digital ecosystem, dynamic and young, Romania’s capital will take this task in a responsible and dedicated manner, to the benefit of the entire European Union👏👏👏

— Romania in the EU 🇷🇴 (@romaniaineu) December 9, 2020

Commenting on the announcement, president Klaus Iohannis called it "an exceptional diplomatic success of Romania" and highlighted the opportunity "to contribute to the cybersecurity of all EU member states, supporting research and innovation in this area."

Salut succesul diplomatic excepțional al României de a obține găzduirea Centrului European de Securitate Cibernetică la București. Este o oportunitate deosebită de a contribui la securitatea cibernetică a tuturor statelor membre UE, stimulând cercetarea și inovarea în domeniu.

— Klaus Iohannis (@KlausIohannis) December 10, 2020

(Photo: Viorel Dudau/ Dreamstime)

simona@romania-insider.com