1. A Turning Point: NIS 2 and Cybersecurity in the EU
cybersecurity in Europe is at a crucial moment. The European Union Cybersecurity Agency (ENISA) has published its report “NIS Investments 2024” , where he analyzes the impact of the transition towards NIS Directive 2 , a regulation that reinforces the obligations of companies in terms of digital security. This is not a simple regulatory adjustment, but a profound change in the way companies must address cyber risks.
The study, based on an extensive survey of more than 1,350 organizations in all 27 Member States, makes it clear that investment in cybersecurity has increased, reaching 9% of the IT budget in many companies, but it also brings to the table a series of challenges that go far beyond money. The shortage of specialized talent is becoming a structural problem: despite growing demand, the number of employees dedicated to cybersecurity has fallen for the fourth consecutive year, demonstrating that the ability of companies to comply with NIS 2 depends not only on their financial resources, but also on their ability to attract and retain qualified talent.
Even so, awareness of this regulation is high. Almost all organizations surveyed know they must comply with the directive, but the question remains whether they are truly prepared to do so. And this is where the Canary Islands come into the picture, because the challenges that the rest of Europe already faces are magnified in an insular context like that of the islands.
2. Canary Islands against NIS 2: A Challenge that Puts its Competitiveness in Check
Not all regions face digitalization with the same tools, and in the case of the Canary Islands, adaptation to NIS 2 is accompanied by additional difficulties that make cybersecurity not only a technological issue, but also a reflection of the structural problems that affect the archipelago’s economy.
Digital talent on the islands remains scarce, and not only because cybersecurity training is not yet widespread enough, but because some of the people who acquire these skills end up looking for opportunities abroad.
Talent drain, a recurring problem in the Canary Islands, becomes a real obstacle when we talk about digital security, because without trained professionals, local companies have little chance of meeting the requirements of the new regulations.
But beyond the lack of specialists, the real challenge is the way in which Canarian companies perceive cybersecurity. In a business fabric dominated by small and medium-sized companies, many of which operate on tight margins, digital security continues to be seen as an additional cost and not as a strategic investment. The problem is that this mentality collides head-on with NIS 2, which turns cybersecurity into an unavoidable legal obligation.
Added to this is another factor that complicates the transition: the digital infrastructure in the Canary Islands continues to depend largely on external operators and on connectivity that is not always up to current demands. In a global economy where cyberattacks can put any company in check in a matter of minutes, not having a robust infrastructure can make compliance with NIS 2 even more complicated for many local organizations.
3. The Problem Is Not Just Cybersecurity: It Is the Economic Model
Cybersecurity is just one of the many pieces of the puzzle. NIS 2 puts an even bigger problem on the table: the lack of competitiveness of the Canary Islands in the digital environment. For decades, the archipelago has depended on an economic model based on tourism and traditional sectors that have resisted digital transformation. And although this strategy has worked to a certain extent, the world has changed, and the Canary Islands cannot afford to continue operating under a scheme that already shows clear signs of exhaustion.
The problem is not only the dependence on tourism, but the inability of companies to innovate and adapt to the new digital reality. While other regions have promoted sectors such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology or automation, in the Canary Islands the debate continues to focus on the same problems as always: the lack of economic diversification, the bureaucracy that slows down business growth and the difficulty in attracting investments with high added value.
And, of course, there is the question of the labor market. The gap between what employers ask for and what workers demand continues to grow. On the one hand, companies claim that labor costs are too high to be competitive; On the other hand, employees insist that salaries are not enough to cover the cost of living. In the midst of this clash of interests, productivity remains low and the perception that “no one wants to work” becomes a constant, although in many cases the problem is not a lack of will, but the absence of real incentives to improve performance and efficiency.
4. Reinventing the Canary Islands: The Need for Structural Change
If the Canary Islands want to not only comply with NIS 2, but also become a benchmark in the digital economy, it needs a clear strategy. The key is not to continue doing the same thing expecting different results, but to transform the productive and labor structure of the archipelago.
To achieve this, it is essential that companies and institutions begin to see the Economic and Fiscal Regime of the Canary Islands REF Canarias as something more than a simple tax reduction mechanism for traditional sectors. If applied strategically to attract technology companies, the island could become a hub of innovation and cybersecurity in the Atlantic, taking advantage of its geographical location and its connection with Europe and Latin America.
But it is not enough to attract companies. It is also necessary to train local talent, because without specialists in cybersecurity and technology, any attempt at digitalization will be superficial. The creation of advanced training centers in digital security and the implementation of hybrid work models can help more qualified professionals decide to stay on the islands instead of seeking opportunities abroad.
The labor market, for its part, needs urgent modernization. It is not about reducing salaries or charging more taxes to companies, but about adopting models that reward productivity and efficiency, instead of remaining anchored in a system that measures work in hours and not in results.
Finally, the public sector must play a key role. It is not enough to impose regulations like NIS 2; It is necessary to facilitate the digital transition with incentives, advice and a business ecosystem that favors investment in innovation. If the Canary Islands do not take this transformation seriously, they will continue to lose competitiveness in a world where the digital economy is no longer the future, but the present.
5. Conclusion: Adapt or Fall Behind
The real challenge of NIS 2 is not only to comply with regulations, but to understand that digitalization and cybersecurity are the foundation of any modern economy. The Canary Islands have two paths: it can continue operating under a scheme that is already exhausted or it can take advantage of this opportunity to redesign its future.
The time for diagnoses has passed. Now it’s time to decide if the archipelago wants to become a benchmark for innovation or remain trapped in the inertia of its own problems. Because the future does not wait. Either we adapt, or we fall behind.
