Abstract:

This article examines the dynamics of network expansion and consolidation in strengthening European cyber resilience, using the ECYBRIDGE initiative as a case study. ECYBRIDGE connects public and private actors from civilian and military sectors, fostering synergies as these networks grow and consolidate. The discussion situates the EU cybersecurity architecture within the conceptual frameworks of multi-level and polycentric governance theory, showing how overlapping decision centres and transnational cooperation can reinforce cyber resilience. Quantitative indicators trace the project’s network expansion, while qualitative evidence highlights standardisation and trust-building as hallmarks of consolidation. Four analytical axes organise the analysis: thematic domains of intervention, governance and operational layers, strategic relevance and urgency, and integration challenges with enabling mechanisms. Taken together, these findings demonstrate how the progressive expansion and consolidation of such networks enhance Europe’s cyber resilience and point towards more robust, inclusive, and interoperable models of cybersecurity governance.

Keywords:
Civil-military cooperation, Polycentric governance, ECYBRIDGE, Multi-level governance, Cyber Resilience

Full text:

CITE THIS PAPER AS:
Niculae IANCU, Maria-Mihaela GURĂU, Gabriel RAICU, Marilena-Jeana CÎMPINEANU, "Building Europe's Civilian-Defence Cyber Resilience Through Expanding and Consolidating Networks: The ECYBRIDGE Experience", International Journal of Cyber Diplomacy, ISSN 2668-8662, vol. 6, pp. 19-37, 2025. https://doi.org/10.54852/ijcd.v6y202502