28 October 2008

Press announcement of the CCDCOE -  October 28, 2008

CCD COE (Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence) was activated as an International Military Organization by the decision of the North-Atlantic Council, making it the first IMO hosted by Estonia.

The North-Atlantic Council made the final decision for giving the Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence full accreditation and International Military Organizaton status. Such status is nominated according to the Paris Protocol agreement to international military headquarters or other entities by the decision of the North-Atlantic Council. CCD COE is the first organization located in Estonia to have such a status.

‘Relevant procedures by Military Committee and the North Atlantic Council have resulted in a fully operational CCD COE. For Estonia in particular, this means dedicated and coordinated administrative support to the Centre of Excellence,’ said at the press conference Chief of Estonian Defence Forces Lieutenant General Ants Laaneots.

‘Estonia has shown that it is not the matter of the size of the defence forces, but the level of special capabilities, that shows their role in enhancing NATO’s defencive capabilities. We appreciate Estonians initiative in the field of cyber defence,’ was stated by the NATO ACT Assistant Chief of Staff C4I (Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence) Major General Koenraad Gijsbergs.

‘At the moment we have seven nations in the centre, but we have strong indications that more countries are interested to join the CCD COE. In particular the United States of America and Turkey have shown their interest on the highest level,’ stated the Director of the CCD COE Lieutenant Colonel Ilmar Tamm.

The Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence is a NATO accredited international military organization with aim to enhance cooperative cyber defence capabilities of NATO and NATO nations, thus improving the Alliance’s interoperability in the field of cooperative cyber defence. The centre was established by seven nations: Estonia, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Latvia, and Spain, who signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the 14th of May 2008.

Further information: Madis Tüür, Public Relations, madis.tyyrccdcoe.org , Mob: +372 56 911 224; Phone: +372 717 6811

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