The EU Cyber Defence Policy Framework (CDPF) as adopted in November 2014 at the Foreign Affairs Council has served and continues to serve as the major policy mechanism for achieving the EU cyber defence objectives. In that respect, the goal of the Cyber Defence conference is to highlight the need for rapid response and how the associated challenges can be met through different research & technology, education, training and exercises initiatives at EU level.

At the same time, the gathering of representatives from governments, EU, academia, innovation centers, industry and the armed forces will foster dialogue between relevant stakeholders on necessary, appropriate and emerging innovations. Presentations on the operational challenges together with industry start-ups, cyber defence companies, government structures, and academic institutions are expected.

The conference is going to take place in the city of Sofia, the capital of the Republic of Bulgaria under the EU Presidency and, co-organised with the European Defence Agency (EDA).

Cyber Defence – Build a Rapid Response conference is committed to high publication ethics standards through a peer review process. Submitted manuscripts must be original and not published or under consideration elsewhere. They must not infringe any copyright or third party right. Accepted and presented papers will be published in the conference proceedings. Authors of the accepted papers will be invited to submit extended version for publishing in the Journal of Defence & Security Technologies (https://www.jdst.eu).