The energy security component is crucial; without investments in this area, it is akin to building a house without installing doors, leaving it open for anyone to enter, Daniel Buda, a Member of the European Parliament, said on Thursday.

'I would like to start with an analogy. How important are investments in energy security and beyond? Without them, it is as if each of us were to build a house but fail to install any doors. Anyone could walk right in. That is why this security component is so vital,' said Daniel Buda.

He emphasized that future European funding will be contingent upon investments in security, as these are indispensable for ensuring the long-term sustainability of any project.

Furthermore, the MEP pointed out a significant vulnerability regarding the number of cybersecurity specialists. According to European Commission data, there were only 299,000 cybersecurity specialists across the European Union in 2024, a figure that falls far short of the actual demand. Moreover, this number is currently declining as a result of the implementation of the NIS Directive, with many professionals moving into the private sector. 'So, the major challenge for us is how to increase the number of specialists we can employ in this field. Because, unfortunately, as evidenced by examples involving the ANCPI [National Agency for Cadastre and Land Registration], as well as similar issues seen in France and Italy, it is clear that we need both investment in this sector and qualified personnel,' Buda pointed out.

He noted that the European Parliament is making significant European financial resources available to member states, which can be used for the development of the energy component.

'If we were to rely solely on the national budget, for all sectors, just ask any mayor or local authority whether they could function without European funds. They couldn't. At best, they might be able to cover electricity bills or a portion of their payroll. That is why we, in the European Parliament, are providing member states with substantial European financial resources that can be utilized for the development of the energy component,' the MEP stated.

According to him, there is another vulnerability at the EU level that cannot be overlooked: the dependence on imports from outside the EU for energy infrastructure components.

'Therefore, we must also address this issue using European funds because, I repeat, the money will be available, through the Competitiveness Fund, for interconnection, and so on, but it is up to us to ensure that the absorption process is sufficiently simple and well-tailored to allow it to become a reality on the ground,' Buda pointed out.

High-level representatives from central and regulatory authorities, leaders of energy sector companies, IT/OT and cybersecurity specialists, as well as representatives from academia, are gathering this Thursday and Friday in Cluj-Napoca for the fourth edition of the Cybersecurity in Energy Forum, an event organized by Distributie Energie Electrica Romania.
AGERPRES(RO - writing by: Nicoleta Gherasi; EN - writing by: Bogdan Gabaroi)