On 19 February 2025, the EU Institute for Security Studies, under the Advancing the Cyber Programme of Action (PoA) project, hosted a side-event during the 10th substantive session of the Open-ended Working Group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies 2021–2025 (OEWG) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The event focused on the EU and its Member States’ Declaration on a Common Understanding of International Law in Cyberspace. Developed through a comprehensive and collaborative process, the Declaration outlines shared interpretations on key legal principles, including the prohibition on the use of force, compliance with international humanitarian law, and state responsibility in cyberspace. By emphasising the importance of a rules-based international order, the EU underscored the need for coherent legal frameworks to address the growing cyber threats that impact national security and public safety.
Participants discussed the development of the Declaration, highlighting the process behind its creation. The event allowed a platform to exchange of views and dialogue between experts and delegations to establish common legal frameworks for cyberspace. Through this exchange, the side-event aimed to strengthen the understanding of the EU’s legal position in cyberspace, promote further discussion on the application of international law, and support the development of shared norms for responsible state behaviour in the digital realm.
