Toespraak minister Brekelmans bij ECSO Awards
Minister Brekelmans (Defensie) sprak op de Cyber Investor Days van ECSO die plaats vonden op 21 en 22 mei 2025 in Den Haag. De toespraak is alleen beschikbaar in het Engels.
Dear guests, cybersecurity pioneers,
Good afternoon! Good to see you all here in The Hague, at this exciting and prestigious finale of the ECSO Awards. Today, we are celebrating the brightest minds and the most promising cybersecurity innovations Europe has to offer. But more importantly, we are looking ahead – towards a future in which Europe is not just catching up in terms of cyber capabilities, but is emerging as a driving force on the global stage.
First, allow me to take you back to around a year ago. On June 6th 2024, many of us went to the polls to cast our vote for the European Parliament elections. But something unusual happened around that same time. In the Netherlands, people trying to check public transport timetables or visiting political party websites suddenly found those sites unavailable.
At first, it looked like a technical glitch – maybe just too much traffic. But thanks to the work of our intelligence services, we now know the truth. The disruption during the European elections was no coincidence or glitch. It was a deliberate DDoS attack by Russian hackers – a coordinated attempt to undermine the European elections and disrupt our democratic process.
It is not an isolated incident. Since the start of the devastating war in Ukraine, we’ve seen a sharp rise in cyberattacks targeting European institutions, including organisations in the Netherlands. In our country: the Port of Rotterdam came to a temporary standstill after a cyberattack; Eindhoven University of Technology became a target; our hospitals have been hit; and just last year, we witnessed the first sabotage attempt on the digital control systems of a Dutch public facility.
Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical issue. It is fundamental to our economy, our democracy, and our national and collective European security. In today’s volatile geopolitical climate, ‘Cybersecurity Made in Europe’ is not just a catchy slogan. It’s a mission, born out of necessity.
Europe must grow up fast. We must develop true digital resilience. We must build up our own capabilities – technologically, strategically, and operationally. In our own way, upholding our own values. It is about protecting what we have as much as it is about shaping the future that we desire.
The good news is: that future is already being built – right here, in rooms like this. Across Europe, from Amsterdam to Tallinn, from Helsinki to Lisbon, startups, research institutes, defence agencies, and tech leaders are working together. People like you, who are building the tools we need to protect our infrastructure and secure our way of life.
And we all know the power of innovation lies in partnership. Breakthroughs in AI, cybersecurity, and digital protection are only achieved through intensive collaboration. The Netherlands is proud to play its part in this mission. With thriving innovation hubs like the one here at the The Hague Security Delta Campus and a strong ecosystem beyond these walls, we are ideally positioned to take a leading role in Europe’s cybersecurity sector.
For Defence, this also means working more closely with private partners – because that’s the only way to truly innovate at speed. We must combine our strengths. Across sectors; across borders. We must integrate our efforts and speed up innovation.
Combining our strengths – that’s exactly what you are doing here today. The very organization of this event proves it. Corporates like KPN Ventures and Accenture, public-private initiatives such as the Security Delta and InnovationQuarter, the city of The Hague, and Dutch venture capital leader TIN Capital, together with fellow European investors, unite around a common goal: building the next generation of European cybersecurity champions. You are demonstrating here today that when innovation meets cooperation, impact follows.
The speed at which we develop and implement new technologies can determine whether we successfully repel a cyberattack – or suffer the loss of critical information. Innovation and scaling up combined with speed equals power.
Just look at the development of unmanned systems such as drones. They’ve revolutionized the battlefield – not because they are the most advanced air systems, but because they can be developed and deployed rapidly. They are agile. Scalable. And that’s exactly what we need in cybersecurity: fast-moving, adaptive technologies that can outplace evolving threats.
That’s why the innovations we’re celebrating here today are so vital. Whether it’s threat detection, incident response, AI-powered risk analysis, or secure communications – these innovations and their innovators are building the future of European defence, today.
These solutions are critical for our armed forces. But they are just as crucial for the protection of our hospitals, our energy grids, our financial systems, and our democratic institutions. Cybersecurity is national security. But it is also economic security. It is societal resilience. It touches every part of our lives.
Europe has what it takes to lead. We have the talent, the institutions, and the budget. But that doesn’t mean we should close ourselves off from the world. Quite the opposite. It means being strong and open – confident enough to collaborate with the best, wherever they are. Let’s not be afraid to learn from others. But let’s also be proud of what we ourselves bring to the table.
Today, the ECSO Awards show us how much brilliance, ambition, and impact is already growing right here on European soil. These finalists – these trailblazers of innovation, these digital engineers and these visionaries – represent the best of Europe. And they remind us what is possible when we work together.
Let’s be bold, let’s be fast, and above all, let’s be united. Together, we can turn today’s breakthroughs into tomorrow’s protection. So that in future ‘Cybersecurity Made in Europe’ is not just a catchy slogan, but a global standard!
Thank you – and congratulations to all the nominees.