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Whitepaper – A summary of the NIS 2 ‘essentials’

Publication date

04.03.2026

We receive a lot of questions from clients about the NIS 2 directive. What is it like and what is its purpose? How is it different from NIS 1? Does NIS 2 apply to my organization? What steps do I need to take to be in compliance? Isn’t there an overlap with the GDPR?

What does the name NIS2 Directive mean?

Network and Information Systems Directive (2nd edition)

Milestones

  • In 2016, the European Parliament adopted the NIS 1 Directive, oficially published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
  • The NIS 1 directive came into effect in 2019.​
  • A revised version, known as the NIS 2 directive, was adopted and published on November 10, 2022.
  • Subsequently, member states were granted 21 months to integrate this European directive into their respective national legislation. To be precise, all EU member states are required to incorporate the NIS 2 directives into their legislation by October 17, 2024, for them to attain enforceability.
  • In January 2025, the European Commission adopted specific implementing acts to further clarify the technical and methodological requirements for cybersecurity risk-management and to define precise reporting obligations for digital infrastructure sectors.
  • By April 17, 2025, all Member States are required to establish a formal list of essential and important entities, a crucial step that enables national regulators to initiate active supervision and oversight of the identified organizations.
  • The period of 2025 through 2026 marks the commencement of the first cycle of “Peer Reviews,” during which Member States and ENISA evaluate the effectiveness of national implementations to ensure a harmonized level of cybersecurity across the European Union.

 

Download the Whitepaper

OTHER RESOURCES

Across Belgium, the NIS2 directive is no longer a distant regulatory change, it is becoming a concrete operational obligation. With the Belgian transposition now in force and the first compliance milestones already activated, organisations must ensure they are not only aware of the upcoming deadlines but actively preparing to demonstrate progress.
Three years ago, no one was talking about it, and now it feels like the term “digital sovereignty” is popping up everywhere. That’s no coincidence. It’s not a sudden hype, but the result of a storm of geopolitical, legal, and technological developments that have gained momentum in recent years.
The European NIS2 Directive requires affected organisations to demonstrate a high and sustained level of cybersecurity. The key deadlines have now passed, including the 18 April 2026 deadline for critical entities.

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