Officials confirm Tennessee couple won historic #Powerball

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A small town warehouse supervisor turned in one of three tickets splitting the world-record $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot, and swiftly announced that he would take his money now, giving up hundreds of millions of dollars in the future.

John Robinson said he reached out to his brother for help assembling a team of lawyers and financial planners before deciding to take the winnings in a single lump sum of nearly $328 million, rather than let the Lottery invest the prize and pay him 30 annual installments totaling an estimated $533 million.

Why pass up on a certain income totaling more than $200 million?

Powerball jackpot co-winners Lisa and John Robinson of Munford, Tennessee, speak to the media at the headquarters of the Tennessee Lottery in Nashville, Tennessee, Jan. 15, 2016.

 REUTERS/HARRISON MCCLARY

"We're going to take the lump sum, because we're not guaranteed tomorrow," Robinson said. "We just wanted a little big piece of the pie. Now we're real grateful we got the big piece of the pie."

They have no plans to move from their small, grey, one-story house in Munford, a town of about 6,000 north of Memphis.

Why not move into a luxurious compound somewhere?

"I've never wanted that in the past. I don't really want that now," said Lisa Robinson, who works in a dermatologist's office.

"Big houses are nice," her husband said. "But also you gotta clean 'em."

They'll pay off their mortgage and their daughter's student loans, but don't plan any big purchases. Both plan to return to work on Monday.

"That's what we've done all our lives, is work," John Robinson said. "You just can't sit down and lay down and not do nothing anymore. How long are you going to last?"

Tennessee Lottery executive Rebecca Hargrove said the couple would get a "small check today for a few million," and collect the full lump sum in about 10 business days.

CBS News' David Begnaud reported that Dana Naifeh's grocery store sold the state's winning ticket. On Thursday morning, surveillance cameras captured the head of the Tennessee Lottery walking in with the billion dollar news and a $25,000 bonus for the store, which is named Naifeh's.

John Robinson said earlier Friday that they would help certain friends, give to the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, and donate to their church.

"I'm a firm believer in tithing to my church," Robinson said in an appearance on NBC's "Today" show.

Their daughter Tiffany, who flew with them to New York and back, said she also wants a horse.

"My first thought was, I've always wanted a horse," she said. "I get a horse now. My dad always said, 'When I win the lottery.'"

John Robinson carried the precious slip of paper to New York City and back before showing up at Tennessee's lottery headquarters. Their lawyer went with them, as did their rescue dog, Abby, who snoozed through most of the excitement.

The other tickets were sold in Melbourne Beach, Florida, and Chino Hills, California, each one overcoming odds of 1 in 292.2 million to land on all the numbers. Lottery officials in those states have yet to confirm or identify the winners. News of a possible winner in California was quickly deflated Friday when that feel-good tale was described as a prank.

Lawyers who have represented other lottery winners advise against going public until they are ready to manage such a huge windfall. Talking seriously with experts in tax law, financial planning, privacy, security and other safeguards can help keep them, and their winnings, safe, they say.

The Robinsons seemed aware of at least some of the risks, even as they told the world that they were sudden multi-millionaires.

Their neighbor Mary Sue Smith, told The Associated Press that Lisa Robinson asked her Friday morning to put "No Trespassing" signs on their lawn.

"Who will be coming out of the woodwork?" said Mary Sue Smith. "Everybody you knew in high school and elementary ... You know what happens."

The couple's son, Adam, is an electrician, and their daughter, Tiffany, lives nearby after graduating from college recently.

Mary Sue's husband, Roy Smith, called them "fine people," dependable and hard-working.

"It could not have happened to better people," Roy Smith said. "He's a civic-minded person, and he probably will remember the town."

Munford's mayor, Dwayne Cole, had wished openly Thursday for an investment in the town, whose annual budget is $3.67 million. He said Munford's needs include fire department equipment, an indoor athletic facility for local schools and a community gymnasium.

On Friday, Cole told the AP that they are not the kind to squander their money.

"They're small town people who appreciate community, appreciate family values. They appreciate hard work. They are responsible. They've always lived within their means," said Cole, who owns an auto parts store in town.

"They have to understand, though, this is a big deal. This is not just a big deal for Munford. This is a big deal nationwide and worldwide. They understand that, I think. I hope they do," Cole added. "I believe they can deal with it. It may be totally overwhelming."

Robinson said he bought the winning ticket at his wife's request at Naifeh's on his way home from work Wednesday night, even though he wasn't feeling well. His wife stayed up to watch the drawing, carefully writing down the numbers.

Then she started "hollering and screaming through the hallway saying, 'You need to check these numbers. You need to check these numbers,'" Robinson said.

He did, four times, then thought: "Well, I'll believe it when the news comes in on the morning."

Cbsnews.com

Apple’s #iPhone 7: Everything we know so far.

 Apple’s upcoming iPhone 7 may very well represent the most radical iPhone redesign we’ve seen yet. Not only will the iPhone 7 likely sport a new form factor, there are also a number of rumors pointing towards the device completely doing away with the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack.

Of course, seeing as how the next iPhone will be a number upgrade in the refresh cycle (as opposed to an ‘S’ upgrade), it stands to reason that the iPhone 7 will introduce a wide array of compelling new features.

With the rumor mill already in full swing, we’ve compiled a list of all the interesting iPhone 7 rumors we’ve seen spring to life over the past few months. While Apple’s iPhone plans are certainly subject to change, the list below is a reasonable and safe approximation of what exciting features folks looking to upgrade can look forward to later this year.

1. No headphone jack

Without question, the most startling design change to the iPhone 7 may be its lack of a headphone jack. What started out as a crazy rumor has since been corroborated by a number of varying sources. According to reports, Apple will completely remove the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack and instead rely on the Lightning port for audio. Doing so will not only save space, thus allowing for a thinner iPhone, but will also improve the overall sound quality. A Fast Company report from last week claimed that the iPhone 7’s “audio system will also leverage a new noise-canceling technology” that will be “baked into the phone and also into the headphones that will plug into it, and will help remove background noise in music playback and in phone calls…”

The only question, though, is how big the backlash will be if Apple actually does abandon the traditional 3.5mm headphone jack? Will consumers protest and take their wallets elsewhere, or will this eventually blow over with time, much like other instances where Apple has abandoned legacy technologies.

2. Waterproof design

One of the side benefits to eliminating the headphone jack is that it makes it easier to waterproof the iPhone. After all, it’s one less port for water to creep into and wreak havoc with the circuitry. Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen reports that the iPhone 7 will be completely dust and waterproof and may very well come with an IP68 rating. If this pans out, the iPhone 7 would be able to withstand submersion under water at great depths and still operate swimmingly after the fact.

3. New form factor

While the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus display sizes will be the same as what Apple already uses on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, it stands to reason that the iPhone 7 will introduce a new look and feel to Apple’s smartphone lineup. Indeed, every major iPhone upgrade (the iPhone 4, iPhone 5, iPhone 6) has incorporated new design elements and there’s no reason to think that the iPhone 7 will be any different. One safe bet is that the iPhone 7 will be even thinner than the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

4. Wireless Charging

Though smartphones from companies like Samsung have had wireless charging for some time, Apple will reportedly jump on the bandwagon with the iPhone 7. Apple, we should point out, isn’t completely new to the world of wireless charging as that’s how the Apple Watch is charged.

5. Bigger battery

Battery life has long been a sore spot for some iPhone users. Of course, this is arguably a good problem as it shows that consumers love using their iPhones. With respect to Apple’s next-gen iPhone 7, a recently surfaced report claims that the battery packs on the iPhone 7 models may have more capacity than the ones used on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. Specifically, the iPhone 7 Plus model may be graced with a 3100 man battery. In contrast, the iPhone 6s Plus battery is 2750 mAh. If this translates into longer battery life, that may be a strong impetus for folks to upgrade.

6. Better photos with dual-cameras

We haven’t heard too much about the iPhone 7 camera just yet, but a recently unearthed patent suggests that Apple is actively exploring implementing two distinct camera modules on the iPhone. Doing so would not only help improve overall camera quality, but would also improve image quality and overall detailing when zooming in. Another compelling use-case involves the ability to record two types of video at the same time, one in regular 4K and one in slow motion.

We should also point out that Apple back in April acquired LinX Computational Imaging, an Israeli company with incredibly advanced camera technology. As we highlighted a few months back, LinX touted its cameras as “leading the way to DSLR performance in slim handsets.” Some of the other features LinX’s camera technology provided includes improved low light photography, decreased noise levels and much more.

7. More RAM

Unfortunately, this rumor only pertains to the iPhone 7 Plus. According to reputable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will bestow the iPhone 7 Plus with 3GB of RAM, a slight bump up from the 2GB of RAM currently found in the company’s iPhone 6s lineup. While this rumor has a 50-50 shot of being true, it’s widely believed that the iPhone 7 model will ship with 2GB of RAM.

8. 256GB of Storage

With iPhones today capable of taking 4K video and high-quality photos, iPhone users, more than ever, are in need of more varied storage options.

To that end, rumor has it that the iPhone 7 Plus alone (do you notice a pattern here?) may be graced with a 256GB model. As it stands now, the largest capacity iPhone checks in at 128GB.

9. Blazing Fast and power efficient A10 processor

With each successive iPhone release, Apple manages to greatly improve both the performance and power efficiency of its processors. That being the case, it’s reasonable to assume that the iPhone 7 will house a blazing fast A10 processor.

Some rumors we’ve seen thus far have suggested that the A10 will deliver a performance boost of 20% while simultaneously reducing power consumption by 40%, relative to the iPhone 6s. Coupled with larger capacity battery packs (see above), we can only hope that the iPhone 7 models will really deliver a notable uptick in battery performance.

10. Earlier release date

Since the iPhone 4s hit store shelves in 2011, every new iPhone has launched sometime during the Fall. In 2016, Apple may decide to switch things up. According to an Apple Insider report from this past November, Apple may release its next-gen iPhone model sometime during the Summer.

This seems very unlikely, of course, for a number of reasons. Apple is under tremendous pressure this year to grow holiday-quarter sales. We also would have certainly seen more components leak at this point if iPhone 7 production was going to ramp up in time for a summer launch.

Rumored features not likely to happen

• No home button. While perhaps a design choice Apple will implement in the future, we haven’t seen any genuine indication that 2016 will be the year the home button disappears
• No OLED display. The rumors surrounding Apple’s interest in OLED displays have become too loud to ignore. Still, it’s far too early in the game to expect the iPhone 7 to feature said display. From what we’ve heard thus far, an iPhone equipped with an OLED display won’t become a reality until the iPhone 8 ships in 2018.

 Bgr.com

#Volkswagen Proposes Fix for 430,000 Affected Cars in the US

Volkswagen’s engineers come up with a catalytic converter that could possibly end the company’s woes

Jan 11, 2016 at 9:16 am EST

In recent months, Volkswagen ride the rough waves of the emissions scandal, that involved hundreds of thousands of its cars being fitted with a device which effectively deceived emissions testing under lab conditions.

The scandal was not only a big hit on demand for Volkswagen vehicles, but also for diesel-powered vehicles, which saw a steep decline. Volkswagen’s sales have plummeted in the recent past, as the company desperately looked for a way to either eliminate the issue completely, or to at least mitigate some of its worries.

Recently, the company recommended a couple of quick software updates and a hardware update for some engine variants. The solution was put under consideration by the European body for environmental protection, which consequently accepted the fix, much to the relief of Volkswagen stakeholders.

However, Volkswagen executives ensured the EPA they recognized the fact that the company’s troubles in the US were far from over. They acknowledged America's stricter approach towards Co2 emissions and damage to the environment. Volkswagen’s executives went on to pledge to find a solution to the crises they were facing in the region, and put an end to the bad publicity they have continuously been subject to.

The situation went from bad to worse for the company as the US filed a complaint with the Department of Justice against the German automaker, in lieu of the emissions scandal. The complaint asserts that around 600,000 diesel vehicles produced by Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen had illegal devices in the engine, that consequently led to CO2 emissions significantly higher than EPA regulations. The complaint also highlighted a violation of the Clean Air Act, whereby the automaker designed its motor vehicles in a manner that contradicts an agreement it made with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

Volkswagen has recently announced that its engineers have constructed a catalytic converter, that could potentially provide a suitable fix for around 430,000 cars accused of cheating emissions tests in the United States. German Daily Bild am Sonntag reported on Sunday that cars equipped with the first generation EA 189 engine, will be fitted with the catalytic converter that would help fix the emission problem created in those vehicles.

While the company refused to comment on the report by Bild am Sonntag, the paper reported that Volkswagen’s CEO, Matthias Mueller, will hope to convince at least a few EPA officials at a meeting in Washington, scheduled for Wednesday, in light of these recent findings. The relationship between the company and regulatory body has been quite strained in the past four months, as the company has struggled to come to an agreement with US authorities, on a fix for affected vehicles in the scandal.

Bidnessetc.com

6 tech trends to look out for at #CES and beyond.

1. Screens. Televisions always seem to take the lion’s share of CES headlines, and 2016 will not be an exception. But as we progress from HD to Ultra-HD to large-format 4k TVs, the next frontier will be the format of those screens. And sometimes evolution does not mean bigger, but smaller.

So here is some big news: on Jan. 4, LG announced the world’s first rollable display. You read that right: you can roll-up this 18-inch display like a newspaper. Sure, we have seen flexible screens, such as the Samsung Galaxy S6 edge smartphone. But this announcement from LG could mean significant advancements in a wide range of edgeless displays across many categories.

Of course, the age of screens may die off when Magic Leap launches its virtual retinal display, which projects a digital light field into the user’s eye. The secretive startup just announced another $827 million in funding last month, on top of the $542 million Google-led investment round the year prior.

But, for now, 4k content will become more readily available and the price tag on 4k TVs will continue to drop.

2. Smart glasses. No, the idea of technology you wear on your head has not died. Since we are not expecting any big announcements about Facebook’s Oculus, HTC and Valve’s Vive and Sony’s PlayStation VR at CES this year, the door is open for smaller players in virtual reality (VR) to steal headlines.

Coming from the guy who brought us James Bond’s mini-submarine car in “The Spy Who Loved Me,” Ralph Osterhout’s company ODG is now making available a pair of $3,000 R-7 Smart Glasses that offer a Google Glass-like hardware/software platform that provide the wearer with 3D stereoscopic see-through displays, wireless connectivity, a built-in 1080p front-facing camera and a range of sensors such as accelerometers and gyroscopes and magnetometers.

And while most of the hardware out there could be generously described as a snorkeling mask with tethered wires that inspire images of an old-timey scuba helmet, this one is more akin to those big, plastic, drugstore sunglasses that your grandma wears over her regular glasses.
ODG is marketing its product to developers for enterprise application, so we will have to see who does what with them.

3. Smart … rings? Much has been written about fitness tech, and FitBit is set to announce some advances to keep competitive with the Apple Watch.

But while I am on my rant about most wearable tech lacking a certain je ne sais quoi, here is a gadget that I might wear even if it was not a gadget.

Born from a Kickstarter campaign back in August, and raising more than $650,000 from nearly 2,400 backers in about five weeks, the ŌURA ring has taken the wearable community by a storm.

You put this beautifully designed, waterproof, Zirconia ring on your finger, and it measures and analyzes your body and learns about you and your lifestyle. It automatically sends information to your phone, where a mobile app displays observations and makes personalized recommendations about things such as sleeping patterns and activity levels.

4. The Internet of (Too Many?) Things. Toss a paper airplane on the CES show floor (actually, do not — security is tight this year) and chances are it will land on something that is “connected” that probably should not be. Forks. Coffee makers. Lightbulbs. You name it.

On this topic, I will keep things short and sweet, except to say that it will be exciting to see how connected things, especially medical tech, can continue to improve the lives of consumers, and build on frameworks such as Apple HomeKit and Apple Health.

5. Connected cars. Over the past few years, automakers have used CES to announce some exciting advancements, from innovative powertrains to in-vehicle telematics. In fact, CES has helped make it seem necessary to upgrade your car as frequently as you do your smartphone.

This year, sure, we will see more news from Apple’s CarPlay, Google’s Android Auto, and proprietary platforms such as Ford’s Sync AppLink. The most notable announcement here is Toyota’s partnership with Ford to deploy Livio’s SmartDeviceLink, a platform that works for both smartphone apps and in-dash infotainment applications, which means consumers can – once third-party developers get their hands on it – transfer apps and settings from vehicle-to-vehicle, even between different manufacturers.

We will also get more announcements about self-driving/autonomous cars and connected cars: car-to-car, car-to-infrastructure such as traffic lights, stop signs and the road itself, and car-to-driver. But the big, big news was supposed to be Faraday Future — but sadly its big announcement fell flat.

If the well-funded start-up that says it aims to “change the way the world perceives mobility” is going to nip at the heels of Tesla and place its name next to Apple in the annals of history, it will not be with the design of its early concept car. It will need to deliver on its aim to redefine how the car connects to the driver, and how the driver accesses – not buys – the car. But according to Faraday Future, anything with an FF badge on it is years away from hitting the streets.

6. Drones. Of course, drones. A predictions list for 2016 must include drones. More than 100 are expected to make an appearance at the show this year.

But one standout will be the Lily, which claims to be the world’s first “throw-and-shoot camera.” Think selfie camera built into a lightweight (under three pounds), high definition (it shoots 1080p), waterproof drone that follows you around automatically and captures your jumps on the slopes. But like George of the Jungle, you will want it to watch out for that tree – the Lily isn’t capable of obstacle avoidance (yet).

Luxurydaily.com

European Union New-Car Sales Grow 13.7% in November -- #ACEA

Sales are up 8.7% in the 11 months to November.

New Volkswagen vehicles on a lot in Fallersleben, near Wolfsburg, Germany, last month. New-car sales in the European Union surged by double digits in November.

PHOTO: JULIAN STRATENSCHULTE/EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY

BERLIN—New-car sales in the European Union surged nearly 14% in November, shrugging off Volkswagen AG’s diesel crisis to turn in the second-strongest monthly sales this year, according to data published Tuesday by the European Automobile Manufacturer’s Association.

With the recovery of European car markets still strong, new-car sales rose 8.7% in the 11 months to November to 12.6 million vehicles. November sales posted the strongest increase since June, when new-car sales rose 14.6%.

Incentives, scrappage schemes to encourage car owners to trade in older vehicles, cheap oil, the weak euro, low interest rates and a robust cycle of new model launches are driving sales higher this year, Anil Valsan, global automotive analyst at Ernst & Young, said in a statement.

“As we move into 2016, the car market is expected to remain on the growth track,” he said.

The European divisions of U.S. manufacturers Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Co. were among the biggest gainers last month, with new-car sales in the region growing 21% and 18%, respectively.

New-car sales of French auto maker PSA Peugeot Citroën rose 14%, compared with a 15% increase at rival Renault SA, and 19% for Italy’sFiat Chrysler Automobiles NV.

Sales of new cars from Volkswagen’s namesake VW brand rose 2.8% in November. Sales of the Volkswagen group, including Audi, Porsche, Skoda and SEAT, rose 4.1% in the EU last month.

Volkswagen sales recovered after declining in October, the first full month after the company admitted cheating on emissions tests. But the German car maker is trailing faster-growing rivals and losing market share. In November, Volkswagen’s share of the EU new-car market fell two points to 24.3%.

Rivals are exploiting Volkswagen’s weakness.

“We have included some VW cars in our trade-in programs,” Roelant de Waard, head of sales and marketing at Ford of Europe, told The Wall Street Journal. “We see some customers moving from VW to Ford.”

Growth is mixed across the EU.

New-car sales in Germany, the EU’s biggest car market by sales, outpaced the previous year, growing 8.9% in November. The United Kingdom, the second-largest auto market in the EU, grew 3.8%, recovering after a decline in October.

The strongest growth in new-car sales in the EU was in Spain, Italy and France, where sales made double-digit percentage gains.

“Rentals and self-registrations drove growth in Germany, France and the U.K., while growth in consumer confidence boosted car sales in Italy and Spain,” Mr. Valsan said.

Wsj.com

#Ford to Invest $4.5 Billion in Electrified Vehicles by 2020

 Ford Motor Co. said it’s investing $4.5 billion in electrified vehicles, responding to regulatory pressure with a bet on technologies that have struggled to attract buyers in the U.S. as fuel prices stay low.

The automaker will add 13 electric cars and hybrids by 2020, rising to 40 percent of its lineup from 13 percent now, Chief Executive Officer Mark Fields said Thursday at a press conference in Dearborn, Michigan. The plans include a new Focus Electric car with fast-charge capability, Ford said.

“We’re going to see more and more companies invest in electrified vehicles because at the moment there’s some very stringent 2025 emission standards,” said Michelle Krebs, senior analyst at AutoTrader.com. “The way to get there is using electrification. It’s a significant investment, but it’s the way the industry is moving forward.”

Ford’s spending plan comes even as cheap gasoline prices crimp U.S. sales of such models. Deliveries this year through November of Ford’s C-Max, Fusion and Lincoln MKZ hybrid versions tumbled 25 percent to 59,301, according to Autodata Corp. Sales slid 12 percent for Toyota Motor Corp.’s Prius models, 23 percent for General Motors Co.’s Volt plug-in hybrid and 41 percent for Nissan Motor Co.’s battery-powered Leaf.

“Certainly, the gas prices that we’re seeing right now don’t help the electric-vehicle sales,” Raj Nair, the company’s product development chief, told reporters in Dearborn. “We’ve got a lot to do to inform and educate the customer about the advantages of not just the battery-electric vehicles, but plug-in hybrids in particular and hybrids.”

Fields said plug-in hybrids will be the fastest-growing type of electric vehicles.

“When you look at these investments, we know for sure hybridization is going to be a bigger proportion of our vehicles,” said Matt Stover, an analyst at Susquehanna Financial Group. He estimated that Ford’s total capital expenditures and research and development costs over the next five years will be about $70 billion.

Largest Ever

The planned outlays for electrified vehicles will be its largest ever in a five-year period, Ford said in a statement.

Nair said the carmaker expects to get the same return on investment in those models as it would from gasoline-powered vehicles.

“That’s our intention,” he said. “There’s a lot of variables in that. A lot will depend on both the regulatory as well as the fuel environment.”

Consumers still misunderstand the benefits of electrified autos, especially plug-in hybrids that are powered by both electric batteries and gasoline engines, Nair said.

"We still see feedback that people are concerned about the range of a plug-in hybrid, which really, to be honest, doesn’t make sense," Nair said. "Because in a plug-in hybrid, you’ve got a tremendous amount of range."

This year, Ford expanded its Electrified Powertrain Engineering program in Dearborn, hiring an additional 120 engineers, according to another statement Thursday. In October, the automaker, the University of Michigan and the Michigan Economic Development Corp. announced a $9 million lab at the school to help develop smaller, lighter and less expensive batteries.

Bloomberg.com

#Europe agrees EU-wide legislation on cybersecurity.

Negotiators of the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission have agreed on the first EU-wide legislation on cybersecurity.

Information systems – computing resources such as networks and databases that enable essential services, businesses and the internet to function – are affected by an increasing number of security incidents. These incidents can have different origins, including technical failures, unintentional mistakes, natural disasters or malicious attacks. They could disrupt the supply of essential services we take for granted such as electricity, water, healthcare, or transport services.

It is a priority for the Commission to help prevent these incidents, and in case they occur, provide the most efficient response. This is why the Commission put forward in 2013 a proposal for a Directive to ensure a high common level of network and information security (NIS) in the EU. The European Parliament and the Luxembourg Presidency of the EU Council of Ministers last night reached an agreement on the rules which will:

• improve cybersecurity capabilities in Member States
• improve Member States' cooperation on cybersecurity
• require operators of essential services in the energy, transport, banking and healthcare sectors, and providers of key digital services like search engines and cloud computing, to take appropriate security measures and report incidents to the national authorities

Andrus Ansip, European Commission Vice-President for the Digital Single Market, welcomed the agreement: "Trust and security are the very foundations of a Digital Single Market. If we want people and businesses to use and make the most of connected digital services, they need to trust them to be secure in the case of attack or failure. The internet knows no border – a problem in one country can have a knock-on effect in the rest of Europe. This is why we need EU-wide cybersecurity solutions. Last night's agreement is an important step in this direction, but we cannot stop here: we plan an ambitious partnership with the industry in the coming months to develop more secure products and services."

Günther H. Oettinger, Commissioner for the Digital Economy and Society, said: "Congratulations to Parliament's negotiation team and to the Luxemburgish Presidency of the Council. The agreement constitutes a major step in improving the resilience of our network and information systems in Europe, one of the objectives of the EU cybersecurity strategy and a cornerstone of our efforts towards creating a Digital Single Market. Improving cooperation and information exchange between Member States is a key element of the agreed rules and will help us tackle the increasing number of cyber-attacks. Cybersecurity is essential in today’s European digital economy and society – and it remains a permanent challenge. We will remain active in this area, and come, in the first half of 2016, with a proposal to establish a public-private partnership on cybersecurity in the area of technologies and solutions for online network security."

Next steps

Following this political agreement, the text will have to be formally approved by the European Parliament and the Council. After that it will be published in the EU Official Journal and will officially enter into force. Member States will have 21 months to implement this Directive into their national laws and 6 months more to identify operators of essential services.

The Commission will build on this achievement to launch a public-Private partnership on cybersecurity in 2016,as announced in the Digital Single Market strategy in May.

Cornerstones of the NIS Directive

Improving national cybersecurity capabilities

Member States will be required to adopt a national NIS strategy defining the strategic objectives and appropriate policy and regulatory measures in relation to cybersecurity. Member States will also be required to designate a national competent authority for the implementation and enforcement of the Directive, as well as Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs) responsible for handling incidents and risks.

Improving cooperation

The Directive will create a ‘Cooperation Group’ between Member States, in order to support and facilitate strategic cooperation and the exchange of information among Member States and to develop trust and confidence amongst them. The Commission will provide the secretariat for the Cooperation Group. The Directive will also create a network of Computer Security Incident Response Teams, known as the CSIRTs Network, in order to promote swift and effective operational cooperation on specific cybersecurity incidents and sharing information about risks. The EU Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA) will provide the secretariat for the CSIRTs Network.

ENISA will play a key role in many aspects of the Directive, particularly in relation to cooperation

Security and notification requirements for operators of essential services

Businesses with an important role for society and economy, referred in the Directive as "operators of essential services", will have to take appropriate security measures and to notify serious incidents to the relevant national authority.

The Directive will cover such operators in the following sectors:

• Energy: electricity, oil and gas
• Transport: air, rail, water and road
• Banking: credit institutions
• Financial market infrastructures: trading venues, central counterparties
• Health: healthcare providers
• Water: drinking water supply and distribution
• Digital infrastructure: internet exchange points (which enable interconnection between the internet's individual networks), domain name system service providers, top level domain name registries

Member States will identify these operators on the basis of criteria, such as whether the service is essential for the maintenance of critical societal or economic activities.

Security and notification requirements for digital service providers

Important digital businesses, referred to in the Directive as "digital service providers" (DSPs), will also be required to take appropriate security measures and to notify incidents to the competent authority. The Directive will cover the following providers:

• Online marketplaces (which allow businesses to set up shops on the marketplace in order to make their products and services available online)
• Cloud computing services
• Search engines

In line with the objectives of the Digital Single Market strategy, the Directive aims to establish a harmonised set of requirements for digital service providers, so that they can expect similar rules wherever they operate in the EU.

Finextra.com