Europe’s digital technology industry cheered a European Parliament...

Europe’s digital technology industry cheered a European Parliament vote on a network and information security directive Thursday (CD March 13 p15). The final text wasn’t available, but DigitalEurope and BSA/The Software Alliance said legislative changes made the measure more palatable. Parliament mitigated several “troubling provisions” in the original draft and the current version could potentially improve cybersecurity protection, BSA said. Lawmakers focused on protecting critical infrastructure, both organizations said. The measure will succeed if it’s based on clear, future-proof definitions and a proportional, risk-based approach that gives the private sector room to innovate in response to fast-changing cyberthreats, BSA said. The parliamentary text supports coordination at the European level, recognizes the global nature of cybersecurity and takes a targeted line, said DigitalEurope. BSA said it now wants the Council to add more harmonization of cyberattack reporting requirements for market operators to avoid a patchwork of potentially conflicting legal requirements across the EU.