Shifting transatlantic relationships and accelerating shifts in the global security architecture have brought Europe’s cybersecurity dependencies into sharp focus. In recent years, Europe’s reliance on U.S.-based digital infrastructures has grown increasingly, particularly in crucial areas such as vulnerability management systems. Two central pillars of the release are the U.S.-based Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) program and the widely adopted framework developed by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). While these systems have provided global benchmarks for cybersecurity practices, they also expose Europe to strategic and operational risks stemming from dependence on non-sovereign, single-nation infrastructures.

This analysis uses qualitative analysis of EU cybersecurity directives, policy statements, and developments around the CVE program. An important case study examines the April 2025 CVE funding crisis, when operations were almost stopped by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) delays. The incident underscored the precariousness of global reliance on a single sovereign authority. In response, U.S. stakeholders launched the CVE Foundation as a separate nonprofit organization to guarantee operations. Simultaneously, the EU accelerated plans for its own European Union Vulnerability Database (EUVD), marking a significant step toward cybersecurity self-determination. These achievements demonstrate growing momentum toward European digital autonomy, as well as the dangers of strategic dependency. However, the emergence of parallel vulnerability tracking systems introduces risks of global cybersecurity coordination. Diverging standards and processes may complicate information exchange more difficult and decrease the effectiveness of responding to cross-border vulnerabilities.

The study finds that Europe’s cybersecurity ecosystem remains structurally tied to American frameworks, both technically and politically. The CVE crisis catalyzed EU efforts to reduce this reliance and reassert control over critical infrastructure. To navigate an increasingly competitive and fragmented cyber landscape, the study recommends a two-track strategy: expand sovereign European capabilities while deepening transatlantic cooperation. Only through this combined approach can Europe strengthen its resilience and ensure compatibility within the broader cybersecurity ecosystem.