The declaration notes that international law remains fit for purpose in this digital domain and reiterates that States must comply with certain rules and obligations when engaging in activities in cyberspace.

The declaration recognises that malicious behaviour in cyberspace, including ransomware, is increasing in scale, severity, sophistication and impact, and poses a significant challenge and threat to the functioning of European societies, economies and way of life. However, cyberspace is not a lawless domain.

Respect for and adherence to the UN framework for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace remain essential for maintaining international peace, security and stability. The EU and its Member States therefore reaffirm their full commitment to the implementation of the UN Framework for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, adopted by consensus and repeated on several occasions by the UN General Assembly (UNGA), which affirms, inter alia, that international law, in particular the Charter of the United Nations, international human rights law and international humanitarian law are fully applicable in cyberspace. cyberspace.

The European Union and its Member States will continue to work with international partners to establish a single, permanent, inclusive, regular and action-oriented United Nations mechanism to implement and promote responsible state behaviour in cyberspace: the Programme of Action.

With this declaration, the Union and its Member States demonstrate that it is possible to reach a common agreement on a set of fundamental principles and rules of international law applicable to cyberspace. A better common global understanding of how international law applies to cyberspace contributes to enhanced global cyber resilience and greater transparency and predictability of states’ conduct in cyberspace and accountability.

In this regard, the EU and its Member States continue to support third countries through training and capacity building on the implementation of the United Nations Framework for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, including on how to develop a national, regional or international position on the application of international law to cyberspace.

This is the first time that the European Union and its Member States have adopted a declaration in this regard. The declaration follows the UNGA’s reiterated endorsement of the framework for responsible state behaviour in cyberspace, based on the application of international law. The declaration relates to efforts at the United Nations level, namely the UN open-ended working group (OEWG) on the security and use of information and communication technologies in the period 2021-2025, established by UNGA resolution UN A/RES/75/240 in 2021.

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