OSCE participating States, in landmark decision, agree to expand list of measures to reduce risk of tensions arising from cyber activities

VIENNA, 10 March 2016 – The OSCE’s 57 participating States agreed at today’s Permanent Council meeting to expand a ground-breaking list of OSCE confidence-building measures (CBMs) to enhance security and stability in the cyber domain and reduce the risks of conflict stemming from the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs).

Welcoming the decision, OSCE Chairperson-in-Office and Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said: “The motto of the German OSCE Chairmanship is renewing dialogue, rebuilding trust, restoring security. The expanded list of cyber confidence-building measures stands as a concrete example of how these goals are effectively furthered by the OSCE. Through its engagement in cyber-related activities, the OSCE underlines its capacity for enhancing confidence between States – including and indeed particularly during times of great tension. The German Chairmanship will continue its efforts to advance cyber issues in a broad and cross-cutting approach.”

In recent years ICTs have added a complex dimension to inter-state relations. Events in cyberspace often leave room for ambiguity, speculation and misunderstanding. The worry is that miscalculations and misperceptions between states arising from activities in cyberspace could escalate, leading to serious consequences for citizens as well as for the economy and administration, and potentially fuelling political tensions.

“The latest CBMs focus on co-operation between participating States—including, for example, to effectively mitigate cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure that could affect more than one participating State,” said Daniel Baer, U.S. Representative to the OSCE and Chair of the Working Group tasked with elaborating the confidence-building measures. “The practical focus of these CBMs allows parties to work together to address challenges that have the potential to affect all participating States.”

The decision builds on transparency measures adopted by participating States in 2013 which, among others, established official contact points and communication lines to prevent possible tensions resulting from cyber activities.

OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier added: “Today OSCE participating States made significant progress towards making cyberspace a little more predictable, to the benefit of States, citizens and businesses. Crucially, the process does not end here, and OSCE participating States have agreed to continue their work to develop additional CBMs in this field.”

So far the OSCE is the only regional security organization with such a diverse constituency that has managed to reach agreement on CBMs focusing on the cyber domain.