The European Union, with the active participation of the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium, is launching a call for applications called SECURE to help SMEs comply with the new European cybersecurity rules.
The first call for applications for funding will be launched on 28 January. It offers European SMEs the possibility of obtaining up to €30,000 per project (through 50% co-financing) to implement concrete cybersecurity measures in line with the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).
Eléonore SIMONET, Minister for the Middle Classes, Self-Employed and SMEs: “This is a great opportunity for SMEs: manufacturers, importers, distributors of products with digital elements and software developers. They will have to comply with this regulation anyway, so they might as well do so through this call for projects, which will allow them to obtain funding and support towards CRA compliance. ”
Which SMEs are concerned?
The Cyber Resilience Act applies to any SME that places a product with digital elements on the European Union market, whether hardware, software or a combination of both.
For example, SMEs that publish software, manufacture or integrate connected products, are active in cybersecurity or digital components, or import/distribute products under their own brand.
A simple example: an SME that manufactures a connected sensor for industry or construction clearly falls within the scope of the CRA.
The CRA notably requires:
- Cybersecurity requirements from the design stage (security by design).
- The management and correction of vulnerabilities throughout the product's entire lifecycle.
- Documentation, notification and support obligations.
- For certain products, stricter requirements (critical categories).
This could therefore affect around 60,000 Belgian SMEs. Most of them work in programming in general and are micro-enterprises.
The Belgian component of the SECURE project is managed by the Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium.
The guidelines for the call for applications are available on the official SECURE website, under the “Documentation” section.