ENISA, Europol combine forces to fight cyber crime in Europe

The European Union Agency for Network and Information Security and the European Police Office, or Europol, on Thursday announced a new partnership to thwart cyber crime.

Heraklion, Greece-based ENISA and The Hague, Netherlands-based Europol in a joint statement said their strategic cooperation agreement will facilitate closer cooperation and the exchange of information in the fight against cyber crime.

The organizations said that by combining their areas of expertise, they can help to make Europe a safer place online.

“This agreement is an important step in the fight against ever more skilled cyber criminals who are investing more time, money and people on targeted attacks,” ENISA Executive Director Udo Helmbrecht and Europol Director Rob Wainwright said in the statement. “Cyber crime is estimated to cost the global economy more than $400 billion annually. By cooperating more closely together and sharing expertise, we strengthen Europe’s capacity to combat cyber criminals.”