Article 4, National Security Operations Centres
1. In order to participate in the European Cyber Shield, each Member State shall designate at least one National SOC. The National SOC shall be a public body.
It shall have the capacity to act as a reference point and gateway to other public and private organisations at national level for collecting and analysing information on cybersecurity threats and incidents and contributing to a Cross-border SOC. It shall be equipped with state-of-the-art technologies capable of detecting, aggregating, and analysing data relevant to cybersecurity threats and incidents.
2. Following a call for expression of interest, National SOCs shall be selected by the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (‘ECCC’) to participate in a joint procurement of tools and infrastructures with the ECCC. The ECCC may award grants to the selected National SOCs to fund the operation of those tools and infrastructures.
The Union financial contribution shall cover up to 50% of the acquisition costs of the tools and infrastructures, and up to 50% of the operation costs, with the remaining costs to be covered by the Member State. Before launching the procedure for the acquisition of the tools and infrastructures, the ECCC and the National SOC shall conclude a hosting and usage agreement regulating the usage of the tools and infrastructures.
3. A National SOC selected pursuant to paragraph 2 shall commit to apply to participate in a Cross-border SOC within two years from the date on which the tools and infrastructures are acquired, or on which it receives grant funding, whichever occurs sooner. If a National SOC is not a participant in a Cross-border SOC by that time, it shall not be eligible for additional Union support under this Regulation.
Note: This is the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and the Council laying down measures to strengthen solidarity and capacities in the Union to detect, prepare for and respond to cybersecurity threats and incidents of 18.4.2023 (proposal for the EU Cyber Solidarity Act). This is NOT the final text of the EU Cyber Solidarity Act.