European Cyber Agora

The European Cyber Agora (ECA), led by GMF, Microsoft, and the EU Cyber Direct project at the EU Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), is a multi-stakeholder platform bridging the gap between government, civil society, and industry across Europe to identify European perspectives on global cybersecurity policy debates. The Agora organizes annual conferences, workstreams, and roundtables, fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders and contributing to EU-level strategic cybersecurity policy discussions, as demonstrated by successful conferences in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.

For the 2025 edition of the European Cyber Agora, we reiterate the aspiration of being a convening platform for the European cybersecurity policy and diplomacy ecosystem. Our overarching goals are

• Convening: Bridge the gap between government, civil society and industry across Europe to shape and support the European cybersecurity policy agenda
• Driving Policy Impact: Contribute to evidence-based cybersecurity policymaking through research-based and outcome-oriented engagement, fueled by a multistakeholder community 

Building off recent techno-geopolitical trends such as the malicious use of generative AI in cyber and information operations, the European Cyber Agora 2024-2025 focuses on the theme of resilience. Resilience is crucial for safeguarding Europe’s digital and cybersecurity environment. It underpins efforts to foresee, adapt to, and recover from cyber threats. But resilience also includes governance, international collaboration, and proactive as well as defensive actions.  The EU Cyber Agora 2024-25 integrates this vision of resilience into all activities, ensuring a thorough approach to securing digital infrastructure, stabilizing geopolitics, and strengthening institutions. The Agora aims to unite various sectors to bolster resilience and enhance the EU cybersecurity ecosystem. In the face of increasing cyberattacks, resilience extends beyond defense, positioning the EU as a leader in responsible cyber practices.

The 2024-2025 European Cyber Agora includes three key workstreams, each focusing on an aspect of Europe's cyber and digital resilience:

• Workstream 1: AI, cybersecurity, and societal resilience (led by GMF)
  • The workstream on societal resilience in the age of AI focuses on understanding the interplay between AI and cybersecurity, identifying gaps, and fostering European resilience. Key areas include cyber capacity building, societal capacity building, and aligning cyber and AI norms to ensure a holistic approach to resilience in the face of evolving AI and cybersecurity threat.
• Workstream 2: Accountability and deterrence in cyberspace (led by EU Cyber Direct)
• Workstream 3: Digital transformation for security and defense (led by Microsoft)

Annual conference

As the European Union navigates a rapidly evolving geopolitical landscape, with cybersecurity and the disruptive role of AI taking center stage, the 5th annual European Cyber Agora Conference returns on October 22-23, 2025, at the Microsoft Technology Center in Brussels. Building on past successes, this conference remains a pivotal platform for cross-sectoral dialogue and collaboration, bringing together experts from EU institutions, national governments, cybersecurity agencies, civil society, academia, and industry to address key challenges at the intersection of technology, policy, and geopolitics.

For full agenda details and registration: European Cyber Agora - 22-23 October 2025 | Microsoft