PROTECTING THE DIGITAL REALM: A CASE STUDY OF ROMANIA'S CYBER SOVEREIGNTY

Authors

  • Dr. Pavel Tal "Dunarea de Jos" University of Galati, Romania

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55516/ijlso.v5i1.252

Keywords:

effective remedy, criminal case, legal order, legal security, access to justice.

Abstract

Cyber sovereignty, a nation's right to govern its cyberspace, has emerged as a critical issue in the 21st century. Indeed, cyber threats increasingly challenge national security worldwide, so cyber sovereignty has become a critical priority for nations seeking to safeguard civilian and military digital domains.

Romania, a significant player in European cyber defence, has developed robust policies to safeguard its digital infrastructure and maintain sovereignty in cyberspace. This paper presents a case study of Romania's approach to cyber sovereignty, examining the strategic and legal frameworks that underpin its efforts to secure digital boundaries across civilian and military spheres. Through a detailed examination of Romania's military and national strategy and cyber-related legislative framework published in the last two decades, the research aims to illustrate how Romania addresses the demands of an evolving cybersecurity landscape and defines its cyber boundaries and sovereignty.

The findings reveal a lack of well-defined cyber sovereignty in Romania. None of the 22 official strategies and policy, civilian and military, publications published between the years 2002-2021 explicitly defines the term “Cyber Sovereignty” or illustrates Romania's cyber borders; (1) Some refer to the borderless nature of cyberspace (2) others refer to Romanian cyberspace, (3) and few indicate the need to ensure cyber security and defence abroad the country and at the international level.

This paper contributes to a deeper understanding of cyber sovereignty and its implementation within Romania’s national strategy and legal context. It emphasises the importance of a well-defined cyber sovereignty in Romania and worldwide.

References

Baezner, M. ;, & Robin, P. (2018). ETH Library Cyber Sovereignty and Data Sovereignty. https://doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000314613

Bârgăoanu, A., & Pană, M. (2024). Cyber influence defense: Applying the DISARM framework to a cognitive hacking case from the Romanian digital space. Applied Cybersecurity & Internet Governance. https://doi.org/10.60097/ACIG/190196

Barker, T. (2020, January 16). Europe Can’t Win Its War for Technology Sovereignty. Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/01/16/europe-technology-sovereignty-von-der-leyen/

Barrinha, A., & Christou, G. (2022). Speaking sovereignty: the EU in the cyber domain. European Security, 31(3), 356–376. https://doi.org/10.1080/09662839.2022.2102895

Brake, B. (2015). Strategic Risks of Ambiguity in Cyberspace. In Contingency Planning Memorandum (Issue 24). https://www.cfr.org/report/strategic-risks-ambiguity-cyberspace

Brânda, O.-E. (2021). Romanian Cybersecurity Efforts. In Routledge Companion to Global Cyber-Security Strategy. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780429399718-11/romanian-cybersecurity-efforts-oana-elena-br%C3%A2nda

Broeders, D., & Cristiano, F. (2020, March 18). Cyber Norms and the United Nations: Between Strategic Ambiguity and Rules of the Road. Italian Institute for International Political Studies. https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/cyber-norms-and-united-nations-between-strategic-ambiguity-and-rules-road-25417

CEUCA, R.-O. (2023). Passive Cyber Defense as a Norm Preservation Tool: Romania’s Behaviour as a Norm Antipreneur in Cybersecurity. Romanian Cyber Security Journal, 5(2), 1–16. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.54851/v5i2y202302

Chachavalpongpun, P. (2023). Nationhood in the Cloud: Cyber Sovereignty in Thailand. Asian Studies Review, 47(2), 392–411. https://doi.org/10.1080/10357823.2022.2109591

Creemers, R. (2020). China’s conception of cyber sovereignty. In Governing Cyberspace: Behavior, Power and Diplomacy (pp. 107–142). https://books.google.co.il/books?hl=en&lr=&id=F2vsDwAAQBAJ

DECISION No. 1,005 from November 23, 2020 (2020). https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocument/234190

DECISION No. 271 of May 15, 2013 (2013). https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocument/148324

DECISION No. 494 of May 11, 2011 Regarding the Establishment of the National Cyber Security Incident Response Center - CERT-RO (2011). https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocument/129052

DECISION No. 584 of August 8, 2019 (2019). https://legislatie.just.ro/Public /DetaliiDocument/217149

Dimich, A., & Yeromina, L. (2022). Contemporary Scientific Approaches to the Definition of the Concept «Information Sovereignty of Ukraine». Information Security of the Person, Society and State, 34–36, 13–19. https://doi.org/10.51369/2707-7276-2022-(1-3)-2

DINU, A., & CÎRNU, C.-E. (2024). Empowering National Cybersecurity: The CYRESRANGE Project. Romanian Cyber Security Journal, 6(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.54851/v6i1y202408

DRAGOMIR, A., & FLORESCU, I. (2022). Romania’s Implementation of International and European Cyber Law to Strengthen National Cybersecurity. International Journal of Information Security and Cybercrime, 11(2), 19–28. https://doi.org/10.19107/IJISC.2022.02.01

Eldem, T. (2021). Between Multi-stakeholderism and Cyber Sovereignty: Understanding Turkey’s Cybersecurity Strategy. In Routledge Companion to Global Cyber-Security Strategy. Routledge. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/349723868_Between_Multi-stakeholderism_and_Cyber_Sovereignty_Understanding_Turkey’s_Cybersecurity_Strategy

Fiveable. (n.d.). Cyber sovereignty. Retrieved 9 November 2024, from https://fiveable.me/key-terms/technology-policy/cyber-sovereignty

Gaiser, L. (2021). Seeking a New Order for Global Cybersecurity : The Russian approach to cyber-sovereignty. Routledge Companion to Global Cyber-Security Strategy, 153–164. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429399718-15

Government of Romania. (n.d.). Legislative Portal. Retrieved 5 November 2024, from https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/Acasa

Government of Romania. (2013). Cyber Security Strategy of Romania. https://www.cyberwiser.eu/sites/default/files/RO_NCSS_2013_en.pdf

Government of Romania. (2021, December 30). Strategy from December 30, 2021 of cyber security of Romania, for the period 2022-2027. https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocumentAfis/250235

Jensen, E. (2014). Cyber Sovereignty: The Way Ahead. Texas International Law Journal, 50. https://digitalcommons.law.byu.edu/faculty_scholarship/239

Kelton, M., Sullivan, M., Rogers, Z., Bienvenue, E., & Troath, S. (2022). Virtual sovereignty? Private internet capital, digital platforms and infrastructural power in the United States. International Affairs, 98(6), 1977–1999. https://doi.org/10.1093/IA/IIAC226

LAW No. 346 of July 21, 2006 (*republished*) (2006). https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocument/73882

Law No. 415 of June 27, 2002 Regarding the Organization and Functioning of the Supreme National Defense Council (2002). https://csat.presidency.ro/ro/prima-pagina/legea-de-organizare

Leiter, A. (2020). Cyber Sovereignty: A Snapshot From a Field in Motion. Harvard International Law Journal Frontiers, 60, 1–6. https://journals.law.harvard.edu/ilj/wp-content/uploads/sites/84/Leiter-PDF-format.pdf

Maleh, Y., & Maleh, Y. (2022). Cyber Sovereignty in Morocco. 77–89. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-18475-8_7

Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. (2014). National Strategy on Digital Agenda for Romania. https://www.trusted.ro/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Digital-Agenda-Strategy-for-Romania-8-september-2014.pdf

Ministry of National Defence. (2015). White Paper on Defense. https://eda.europa.eu/docs/default-source/Defence-Procurement-Gateway/ro_white-paper-on-defence.pdf

Ministry of National Defence. (2021). Military Strategy of Romania. https://www.mapn.ro/legislatie/documente/STRATEGIA-MILITARA-A-ROMANIEI-ENG.pdf

Ministry of National Defence of Romania. (2005a). Military Strategy of Romania. https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/156801/RomaniaMilitaryStrategy.pdf

Ministry of National Defence of Romania. (2005b). Romania’s National Security Strategy. https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/156799/Romania%20nationalsecurity.pdf

Ministry of National Defense. (2016). The Military Strategy of Romania. https://eda.europa.eu/docs/default-source/Defence-Procurement-Gateway/ro_milstrategy.pdf

Nadeem Mirza, M., Abid Ali, L., & Hasnain Qaisrani, I. (2021). Conceptualising Cyber Sovereignty And Information Security: China’s Image Of A Global Cyber Order. Webology, 18(5), 598–610. https://www.webology.org/data-cms/articles/20220301123539amwebology%2018%20(5)%20-%2099%20pdf.pdf

Nagy, M. (2021). Cyber Security Strategies of the Visegrád Group States and Romania. Acta Universitatis Sapientiae, European and Regional Studies, 19, 72–87.

Palladino, N., & Amoretti, F. (n.d.). The Ambiguity of Digital Sovereignty between Cybersecurity and Digital Rights. International Political Science Association. Retrieved 16 November 2023, from https://www.ipsa.org/wc/paper/ambiguity-digital-sovereignty-between-cybersecurity-and-digital-rights

Pandey, K. (2024, August 20). Chinese notion of cyber sovereignty: Building an alternate digital order. Observer Research Foundation. https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/chinese-notion-of-cyber-sovereignty-building-an-alternate-digital-order

Pavel, T. (2024). Defining Digital Boundaries: A Study on Israel’s Cyber Sovereignty Policy. International Journal of Applied Technology & Leadership, 3(1), 1–15. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377219706_Defining_Digital_Boundaries_A_Study_on_Israel’s_Cyber_Sovereignty_Policy?_tp=eyJjb250ZXh0Ijp7ImZpcnN0UGFnZSI6InB1YmxpY2F0aW9uIiwicGFnZSI6InNlYXJjaCIsInBvc2l0aW9uIjoicGFnZUhlYWRlciJ9fQ

PETCU, I., & BARBU, D.-C. (2022). The New Challenges of Romania’s Cyber Security Policy. Romanian Cyber Security Journal, 4(1), 57–67. https://doi.org/10.54851/V4I1Y202207

Presidential Administration. (2015). National Defence Strategy Romania 2015-2019. https://eda.europa.eu/docs/default-source/Defence-Procurement-Gateway/national-defense-strategy-2015---2019.pdf

Presidential Administration. (2020). National Defence Strategy 2020-2024. https://www.presidency.ro/files/userfiles/National_Defence_Strategy_2020_2024.pdf

Ro’is, N. (2022). Cyber Sovereignty Gotong Royong, Indonesia’a Way of Dealing with the Challenges of Global Cyber Sovereignty. Pancasila and Law Review, 3(1), 15–30. https://doi.org/10.25041/PLR.V3I1.2573

Ruohonen, J. (2021). The Treachery of Images in the Digital Sovereignty Debate. Minds and Machines, 31(3), 439–456. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11023-021-09566-7/METRICS

Schmitt, M. (2020, December 17). Israel’s Cautious Perspective on International Law in Cyberspace: Part I (Methodology and General International Law). EJIL: Talk! https://www.ejiltalk.org/israels-cautious-perspective-on-international-law-in-cyberspace-part-i-methodology-and-general-international-law/

Schmitt, M. N. (2017). Tallinn Manual 2.0 on the International Law Applicable to Cyber Operations. Cambridge University Press. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/tallinn-manual-20-on-the-international-law-applicable-to-cyber-operations/E4FFD83EA790D7C4C3C28FC9CA2FB6C9

Schöndorf, R. (2020, December 9). Israel’s Perspective on Key Legal and Practical Issues Concerning the Application of International Law to Cyber Operations. EJIL: Talk! https://www.ejiltalk.org/israels-perspective-on-key-legal-and-practical-issues-concerning-the-application-of-international-law-to-cyber-operations/

The Functioning Regulation of the Supreme Council of Defense of the Country (2002). https://csat.presidency.ro/ro/prima-pagina/regulament-de-functionare

The National Cyber Security Directorate. (2021). EMERGENCY ORDINANCE 104/2021 on establishing the National Cyber Security Directorate. https://dnsc.ro/vezi/document/emergency-ordinance-104-2021-on-establishing-the-national-cyber-security-directorate

The President. (2007). The National Security Strategy of Romania. https://www.bbn.gov.pl/ftp/dok/07/ROU_National_Security_Strategy_Romania_2007.pdf

Tshering Tshering, J. (2021). Digital Data Sovereignty: A Case Study on Bhutan. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353443155_Digital_Data_Sovereignty_A_Case_Study_on_Bhutan

United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research. (n.d.). Romania - Cyber Policy Portal. Retrieved 5 November 2024, from https://cyberpolicyportal.org/states/romania

Vasiloiu, I. C. (2022). Cybersecurity education in Romania - competitive advantage in the EU market. Proceedings of the International Conference on Virtual Learning, 17, 297–307. https://doi.org/10.58503/ICVL-V17Y202225

VOINA, A., PAVELEA, A., & CULIC, L. (2021). Hashtag Feminism in Romania: #MeToo and Its Effects on Cyberspace Behavior. Transilvania, 11–12, 62–70. https://doi.org/10.51391/trva.2020.12.07

WHITE PAPER of 11 May 2021 (2021). https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocumentAfis/242221

Zlati, G. (2021). Cybercrime in Romania. Jurnalul Baroului Cluj, 2021. https://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/jbcluj2021&id=6&div=&collection=.

Downloads

Published

2025-03-07

How to Cite

Tal, D. P. (2025). PROTECTING THE DIGITAL REALM: A CASE STUDY OF ROMANIA’S CYBER SOVEREIGNTY . International Journal of Legal and Social Order, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.55516/ijlso.v5i1.252

Issue

Section

Social Order