EDP has joined the 'Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace', a French government initiative that aims to make the Internet more secure, open and accessible. The letter of intent was presented today by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Peace Forum in Paris. The goal is to encourage governments, NGOs and private companies to establish agreements and take concrete measures to make the Internet a safer place.

Due to the growing importance of the internet and cyberspace, and at a time when cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and destructive, the document's signatories believe that only joint action will be able to protect cyberspace and that the main authorities and organizations have a shared responsibility to improve the safety and confidence of citizens in these areas.

The Paris Call mentions, for instance, cyberattacks and online censorship, and aims to find concrete measures to combat them. The document was endorsed by several European countries, NGOs and private companies such as EDP, Microsoft, Accenture and Cisco.

EDP recognizes cybersecurity as a top priority. "We are aware of our responsibility in managing critical infrastructure and the data of our customers and employees. Our ability to protect our resources has an impact on human rights and society's security. We believe that trust in cyberspace is crucial for the business environment and for economic and social development," said EDP's Digital Global Unit Director José Ferrari Careto.

The document's signatories condemn cyberattacks, especially those that result in damage to citizens or critical infrastructure, and call for greater protection against these offensives. The signatories point out that International Law, including the UN Charter, applies to the use of information and communication technologies, and state that citizens have the same rights when online and offline, most notably those that are enshrined in International Human Rights Laws.

For these reasons, the Paris Call urges governments, the private sector and civil society to create new cybersecurity standards so that organizations and institutions will be able to protect themselves more adequately. The signatories commit to help each other prevent or recover from cyberattacks, strengthen the ability to prevent external interference in electoral processes, improve the security of digital processes, and so on.