We have been organising CERT-EU’s Annual Conference, our flagship event, for many years.

In 2019, we started inviting our colleagues from the EU entities, as well as our trusted peers and partners, to participate in a Call for Proposals (CFP) for the Technical Track of the conference.

Our Annual Conference remains an invite-only, no streaming, no recording event (no press is allowed). Yet, we invite the cybersecurity professionals, researchers, and industry leaders out there to submit proposals for our Technical Track. Our Programme Committee will review all submissions.

So don’t miss this unique opportunity to share your expertise and help shape the conversations at our highly regarded event. Participating gives you the chance to make your voice heard to over 450 attendees, and to contribute to important discussions.

Who are we?

We are CERT-EU, the Cybersecurity Service for the European Union entities.

These are the 90 European Union institutions, bodies, offices and agencies, such as the European Commission, the European External Action Service, the European Parliament, Europol, ENISA (The EU Agency for Cybersecurity), Frontex, the Court of Justice, the Court of Auditors, the European Central Bank, the European Investment Bank, the European Medicines Agency, and many more.

We are considered one of the most mature cyberdefence teams in the EU and a key cog of the EU’s cybersecurity. As the ‘governmental CSIRT’ of the European Union entities, we provide more than 40 services to them, spanning all the functions of the NIST Cybersecurity Framework.

We are a well-recognised, highly trusted entity. We collaborate extensively with the national and governmental CSIRTs of the EU Member States, the NATO Cyber Security Centre and many other peers and partners, including the private sector.

This edition

Never Gonna Breach You Up, this year’s edition, will take place on 2-3 October in Brussels. We are expecting around 450 delegates.

A rallying cry, Never Gonna Breach You Up encourages us to unite and confront the multipolar, highly volatile world we live in.

Drawing inspiration from the iconic Rick Astley song and the strategic gameplay of Into The Breach, we aim to further consolidate the collective shield against the rising tide of cyber threats.

Topics of interest

We welcome submissions on a wide range of cybersecurity topics, while taking into account the current tectonic shifts in the geopolitical landscape:

• The impact of geopolitical turmoil on the cybersecurity landscape, including areas such as global supply chain security and critical infrastructure
• Insights into emerging threats, threat actor analysis and advanced intelligence gathering techniques
• Leveraging artificial intelligence for threat detection, incident response and proactive security measures
• Cybersecurity in the light of new or emerging technologies (5G, AI, IoT, post-quantum cryptography, …)
• Techniques and tactics for withstanding and recovering from complex cyber attacks
• Effective measures for preventing breaches, including vulnerability management and penetration testing
• Strategies for securing remote work environments and protecting against cybersecurity threats
• Predictions and innovations that will shape the future of cybersecurity.

We’re thrilled to brew up stories of your triumphs, but the bitterness of a setback can also add a rich flavour to the blend. Just like in a perfectly balanced cup of coffee.

Speaking benefits

Should your proposal be selected, you would have the opportunity to gain recognition as an active member of the cybersecurity community and share your knowledge and insights with a hand-picked audience composed of:

• Cybersecurity officers, CISOs and policy-makers from the European Union entities
• Cybersecurity experts as well as middle and senior managers from the private and public sectors, including public administrations, and our counterparts in the EU Member States and several other countries
• Well-renowned cybersecurity researchers.

You would also be invited to our speakers’ dinner and have a chance to mingle with cybersecurity thought leaders and well-renowned researchers from all over the world.

Finally, you would have a dedicated host that will be your point of contact before and during the conference should you need any assistance.

Please note that it is not customary for CERT-EU to compensate speakers through speaking fees or by covering their travel expenses.

Submission guidelines

Abstracts should be no more than 1000 words and clearly outline the presentation topic, target audience and key takeaways.

Each presentation should fit preferably a 30-minute slot (including time for questions). However, we can accommodate a couple of 45-minute presentations. Please mention in your submission which would be the most suitable duration and if there are any special needs. However, depending on the number of submissions, we might ask you to fit your presentation in a shorter slot if you requested 45 minutes.

Each presentation can have a maximum of two speakers. Please make sure to include a brief bio highlighting each speaker’s experience and expertise.

Selection process

Proposals will be reviewed by a Programme Committee consisting of carefully selected, well-renowned cybersecurity experts.

Submissions will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Relevance to the conference theme and topics of interest
• Originality and innovation of the presentation topic
• Problem statements with action-oriented proposals
• Entertainment, are we going to have fun?
• Speaker’s reputation, experience, and expertise in the field.

Important dates

• Submission deadline: 28 April 2025
• Final selection: 23 June 2025
• Final programme: 2 July 2025
• Conference: 2–3 October 2025.

Your contributions will be instrumental in shaping a conference that is both informative and entertaining – we can’t wait to see what you have to share!

You can enter proposals until 2025-04-28 12:00 (Europe/Brussels), 1 month from now.