The Joint Cyberspace Command organises the 'European Union International Conference in the Legal Field of Cyber Defence'.

• Representatives of the different countries of the European Union and various international organisations met at CESEDEN (centre for higher national defence studies) to discuss the establishment of common legal bases in the EU

The headquarters of the CESEDEN hosts the first 'International Conference of the European Union in the Legal Field of Cyber Defence' in relation to military operations. A conference led by the Joint Cyberspace Command* and framed within the programme of activities planned for the Spanish Presidency of the European Union .

In the words of the Commander of the JCCC*, Major General Rafael García Hernández, during his inaugural speech, the field of cyber defence is an active part of hybrid military operations and, whether we like it or not, it is a scenario that our rivals use profusely to exploit possible vulnerabilities or, even worse, to create them.

The Commander of the Command also highlighted the relevant and potential role of the strategic conference of European Union Cyber Commanders (CyberCo), a key element in ensuring the cyber security of our environment, which is currently seeking its place in cyberspace within the intricate ecosystem that characterises both the European Union and the satellite institutions that shape it.

Ambassador Nicolás Pascual de la Parte, who accompanied General Rafael García Hernández in the welcome, supported this perspective and ensured that the attendees were immersed in a climate of awareness, very appropriate for facing a day full of conferences and seminars related to the legal field, a pending issue whose resolution will be favoured thanks to international cooperation.

As the ambassador explained, establishing undisputed leadership in the field of Artificial Intelligence is an indispensable step that we will be able to tackle much better through cooperation and cyber-diplomacy. Proactivity is the key, so that we try to stay one-step ahead of our potential rivals, while keeping the European values that characterise us as the core basis for all actions that take place in this complex environment.

Whether through a coordinated response to threats caused by the hybrid nature of conflicts or through the development and implementation of legal and political regulation and measures, the cyber domain is no longer in the realm of the abstract and intangible. Its effects and the consequences of actions in cyberspace against our interests are increasingly affecting society in the real world. Information leaks, attacks on critical infrastructures such as hospitals, power plants or financial centres, espionage or extortion are the order of the day and today, more than ever, it is necessary to create a sufficient legal framework to respond effectively to these types of computer and digital threats.

Along these lines, continuing with the perspective put forward by General Rafael García Hernández, the hybrid world and the grey line, as well as the infinite casuistry that characterises this environment, can be tackled with many guarantees based on joint work between friends and allies. Sharing information, techniques and procedures makes it possible to lay the foundations that will increase the effectiveness of our cyberdefence and thus be able to develop a sufficient body of law that will enable us to limit the fields of action and response, always seeking to protect our interests and infrastructures.

Only by moving together in one direction will we be able to confront the cunning of an enemy that never ceases to adapt and evolve.