SMEs account for the majority of businesses worldwide and are important contributors to job creation, innovation, and global economic development. SMEs represent about 90% of businesses and more than 50% of employment worldwide, and similarly, in the European Union, 99% of enterprises are SMEs who provide two-thirds of private sector employment. In 2018, there were over 25 million SMEs in the European Union, employing 100 million people, of which 93% were micro-SMEs, defined as having 10 or less employees.
Given the size and limited resources of most SMEs, it’s not surprising that SMEs are as susceptible but more vulnerable than larger enterprises to cyber attacks. However, without effective training and support, many SMEs are not sufficiently protected or able to recover from the impact of such attacks with, in many cases, dire consequences.
Panelists will include a representative from DG CONNECT together with other experts working to protect this key dimension of the European digital economy.
A registration link will be available shortly, but in the meantime, please send an email to info@cybersec4europe.eu if you would like to join this event.