Is any non-EU country eligible to receive support from the EU Cybersecurity Reserve?

ENISA has published a clarification confirming that non-EU countries are eligible to receive support from the EU Cybersecurity Reserve. This operational detail stems from the NIS2 Directive and the broader Cyber Solidarity Act, which established the Reserve as a mechanism to provide rapid assistance following significant cyber incidents.

The primary entities affected are non-EU countries that experience large-scale cybersecurity incidents. While the support is directed at national authorities in those countries, EU-based entities in critical sectors under NIS2 should be aware of this international cooperation mechanism, as it enhances collective resilience and may involve resource sharing.

Compliance teams should note this clarification for awareness, as it operationalizes the EU's external cyber crisis cooperation. For most organizations, no direct action is required. However, teams should monitor how such international responses might influence threat landscapes or sector-specific guidance. The key takeaway is to understand that the EU's incident response framework now explicitly includes a formal channel for assisting partner nations.