EU cybersecurity unit planned to combat rise in costly attacks

The increase of cyberattacks during the Covid-19 pandemic has shown how important it is to protect health and care systems, research centres and other critical infrastructure, the European Commission said. File picture.

A plan for a new EU-wide cybersecurity unit has been unveiled as the bloc attempts to get to grips with the burgeoning criminal phenomenon that costs the global economy around €840bn every year.

The European Commission said it is "laying out a vision to build a new Joint Cyber Unit to tackle the rising number of serious cyber incidents impacting public services, as well as the life of businesses and citizens across the EU".