The Council adopted the following conclusions on the protection of critical infrastructures.

Firstly, it notes that many Member States have existing national and bilateral arrangements providing a high level of protection for their critical national infrastructure. However, the Council considers that action at EU level will add value by supporting and complementing Member States' activities, while respecting the principle of subsidiarity.

The protection afforded to critical infrastructure across Europe will be increased through EPCIP enabling Member States to improve their ability to identify and protect elements of their own infrastructures. The confidential nature of information on identified infrastructure needs to be maintained for security reasons. Access to sensitive information will be granted on a need-to-know basis. Without precluding further discussion, European critical infrastructure could be defined as infrastructure the destruction or disruption of which would have a serious impact on the critical societal functions, including the supply chain, health, safety, security, economic or social well-being or the functions of government, of a number Member States which needs to be further defined.

While recognising the threat from terrorism as a priority, the Council agrees that the protection of critical infrastructure should be based on an all-hazards approach. The form and framework of EU-level work should be based on a comprehensive risk assessment by Member States, and where competent the Commission, and build on existing EU-level work. Where appropriate, use could be made of the Joint Situation Centre's counterterrorism analysis capability. Owner/operators of the infrastructure, including the private sector, must be actively involved at both the national and EU level, and have responsibilities for implementing necessary measures.

The Council invites the Commission to build on the results of its Green Paper consultation process and to continue work to establish EPCIP. EPCIP should, while respecting existing competences, provide support to Member States through an agreed framework for action by the Member States, the Commission and, while respecting existing relationships, the private sector and other relevant actors, in order to raise security standards. This should include, where appropriate, common objectives, methodologies, best practices and the identification of interdependencies. Given the differing characteristics of each sector, a sector-by-sector approach is appropriate, taking into account existing EU-level sectoral arrangements. It equally underlines the important contribution of Community and EU-level research, which should support and complement Member States' activities and those of EPCIP.

The Commission is invited to report back following the consultation period on its Green Paper by March 2006. This would include reporting on a number of issues:

- definitions of key terms, including the definition of protection of critical infrastructure and the finalisation of the definition of EU level critical infrastructure;

- an overall assessment of the costs and benefits of regulatory and voluntary approaches;

- clarity on the respective roles of the Commission (respecting existing Community competences), Member States, and owner/operators;

- development of the concept of operator security plans.

Lastly, following the consultation process and discussion of the issues in the Council, the Commission is invited to make a proposal for an EPCIP by June 2006.

SP(2005)2882

The Council took note of the second annual report on the implementation of the joint programme of the Council and the Commission to improve cooperation in the EU for preventing and limiting the consequences of chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear terrorist threats (2002 CBRN Programme).

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The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report drafted by Stavros LAMBRINIDIS (PES, EL) on protection of critical infrastructure in the framework of the fight against terrorism. (Please see the document dated 24/05/2005.) The main recommendations are as follows:

- implementation of the European Council proposal to establish an "integrated EU crisis management arrangement" as an essential element in reinforcing the links between the citizens and the EU institutions and strengthening interdependence and solidarity between the Member States;

- an integrated European strategy should particularly addresses the threat to critical infrastructure, including computer facilities, the disruption of which would have a serious impact on the health, safety, security or economic well-being of citizens;

- establishment of a European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection (EPCIP) which should be financed by the Member States and/or by the owners and operators;

- the EPCIP should be considered by the Member States’ law enforcement agencies and those responsible for national civil protection mechanisms as complementary to national planning and awareness raising;

- a European risk-analysis system should be created bearing in mind the data protection exigencies at European and national levels in cooperation with the European Data Protection Supervisor so as to ensure interoperability;

- it is necessary to create within the Commission a European early-warning system for crises to interlink the existing European, national and international specialised early-warning systems for emergencies, so that all relevant information which might require action at European level can be shared effectively through a central network (ARGUS);

- establishment of a European Civil Protection Force that would be able to monitor areas at risk of natural disasters in order to prevent the occurrence of disasters with enormous losses of human life, teams from which would intervene in events such as the recent tsunami catastrophe, wearing a common insignia so as to enhance the visibility of European solidarity.

This recommendation is part of a package of seven recommendations to the Council suggesting the next steps to be taken as part of the Action Plan against Terrorism, which is to be reviewed by the European Council at the summit on 16-17 June. (See also CNS/2004/0812, CNS/2004/0069, INI/2004/2214, INI/2005/2044, INI/2005/2065, and INI/2005/2046.)

T6-0221/2005
OJ C 124 25.05.2006, p. 0022-0250 E

Results of vote in Parliament

Debate in Parliament

The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report drafted by Stavros LAMBRINIDIS (PES, EL) on protection of critical infrastructure in the framework of the fight against terrorism. (Please see the document dated 24/05/2005.) The main recommendations are as follows:

- implementation of the European Council proposal to establish an "integrated EU crisis management arrangement" as an essential element in reinforcing the links between the citizens and the EU institutions and strengthening interdependence and solidarity between the Member States;

- an integrated European strategy should particularly addresses the threat to critical infrastructure, including computer facilities, the disruption of which would have a serious impact on the health, safety, security or economic well-being of citizens;

- establishment of a European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection (EPCIP) which should be financed by the Member States and/or by the owners and operators;

- the EPCIP should be considered by the Member States’ law enforcement agencies and those responsible for national civil protection mechanisms as complementary to national planning and awareness raising;

- a European risk-analysis system should be created bearing in mind the data protection exigencies at European and national levels in cooperation with the European Data Protection Supervisor so as to ensure interoperability;

- it is necessary to create within the Commission a European early-warning system for crises to interlink the existing European, national and international specialised early-warning systems for emergencies, so that all relevant information which might require action at European level can be shared effectively through a central network (ARGUS);

- establishment of a European Civil Protection Force that would be able to monitor areas at risk of natural disasters in order to prevent the occurrence of disasters with enormous losses of human life, teams from which would intervene in events such as the recent tsunami catastrophe, wearing a common insignia so as to enhance the visibility of European solidarity.

This recommendation is part of a package of seven recommendations to the Council suggesting the next steps to be taken as part of the Action Plan against Terrorism, which is to be reviewed by the European Council at the summit on 16-17 June. (See also CNS/2004/0812, CNS/2004/0069, INI/2004/2214, INI/2005/2044, INI/2005/2065, and INI/2005/2046.)

T6-0221/2005

On 17 June 2004 the European Council decided to examine implementation of this Action Plan twice a year.

With the assistance of the Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, Gijs de Vries, the Luxembourg Presidency has updated the version of the Action Plan submitted to the European Council in December 2004.

The text approved the JHA Council today will be forwarded to the General Affairs Council and then to the European Council for adoption.

Overall, the EU Institutions, agencies and services have made progress in implementing the measures set out in the Action Plan:

several important pieces of legislation have been adopted or are in the process of adoption, particularly in the area of JHA and the fight against financing of terrorism; the peer review of anti-terrorism arrangements in the 25 Member States is almost complete and the final report will be submitted to the Council next October; the Situation Centre (SitCen) has begun to produce analyses incorporating intelligence from internal and external sources. Moreover, a cooperation agreement between SitCen and Europol will be finalised before the end of the Luxembourg Presidency; both Europol and Eurojust have intensified their counter-terrorism activities; the Police Chiefs Task Force has developed an interesting draft initiative to support community policing;

the implementation of the strategy to counter financing of terrorism is progressing satisfactorily; the external aspect has also developed in line with the guidelines adopted by the European Council last December.

However, the time lag between the general approach and formal adoption by the Council of legislation under the third pillar is too long. The Council took note of the work which must be accomplished before the end of the year, particularly as regards civil protection and protection of critical infrastructure.

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A6-0161/2005

A6-0161/2005

The committee adopted the own-initiative report by Stavros LAMBRINIDIS (PES, EL) on protecting critical infrastructures as part of the fight against terrorism. The report called for a coordinated European strategy to protect vulnerable infrastructure in the Member States in the event of a terrorist attack or a natural disaster. Measures at national level should be harmonised and the EU institutions should set up a European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection, " financed by the Member States and/or by the owners and operators, on the basis of financial or other incentives ". The committee also wanted national authorities to share information on any threats and create an early warning system.

However, MEPs stressed that responsibility for managing risk "ultimately rests with the owners and operators who are in charge of the day to day running of those infrastructures ", although " the EU and Member States should assist, instruct, support and monitor industry at all levels of public authority ".

PE357.844

B6-0085/2005

B6-0085/2005