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Following the success of the 2nd Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Week in Europe and the 10th Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience Europe (CIPRE) Conference held in Brindisi, Italy, preparations are now underway for the next edition, taking place in Brussels, Belgium, from 20–22 October 2026.

 

The upcoming joint event will once again bring together senior policymakers, industry leaders, security professionals, and researchers from across Europe and beyond to strengthen cooperation and advance resilience strategies for critical infrastructure in an increasingly complex threat landscape.

 

Building on the strong foundations established in 2025, CIP Week 2026 and CIPRE 2026 will continue under the guiding theme of “Resilience through Innovation & Collaboration,” with an expanded programme featuring international expert speakers, live technical demonstrations, an industry exhibition, and high-level policy roundtables.

 

Advancing the implementation and operationalisation of the EU Directives on Critical Entities Resilience (CER) and NIS2;

Strengthening cyber-physical risk management and cross-sector coordination;

Enhancing resilience across key sectors including energy, transport, digital infrastructure, and public health;

Addressing evolving threats such as AI/OT convergence, drone and UAS risks, supply-chain vulnerabilities, and climate-driven disruptions.

 

Hosted in the heart of Europe’s policy landscape, the 2026 event will further deepen engagement with European institutions, national authorities, and private-sector stakeholders, reinforcing Brussels as a central hub for strategic dialogue and decision-making on infrastructure resilience.

 

The milestone 10th anniversary of CIPRE in Brindisi marked a decade of progress in developing a coordinated European approach to safeguarding critical infrastructure. The outcomes of that event—including strengthened public-private cooperation, the launch of operational working groups, and the identification of innovation pathways—will directly inform the agenda and priorities for 2026.

 

CIP Week 2026 and CIPRE 2026 aim to move the resilience community from policy alignment toward tangible implementation and measurable impact. Key focus areas will include:

 

Accelerating CER- and NIS2-compliant frameworks across Member States;

Expanding cross-border risk assessment and joint resilience planning;

Scaling pilot projects in cyber-physical protection, resilient communications, and supply-chain security;

Enhancing interoperability in incident response across sectors and nations.

 

Conference Chairman John Donlon commented on the upcoming event:

“Following the exceptional success of our Brindisi conference, we look forward to welcoming the community to Brussels in 2026. This next edition will focus on turning shared knowledge into coordinated action, ensuring that Europe’s critical infrastructure is not only protected, but resilient, adaptive, and future-ready.”