Brussels, 15/02/2011 (Agence Europe) - The Spanish national registry of online transactions on the European carbon market (ETS) will reopen this Wednesday 16 February at 8.00am. The news was announced by the European Commission on Tuesday 15 February, as it usually does 48 hours in advance. This decision brings to seven the number of national registries judged to be safe enough to be allowed to resume normal course of their activities (Germany, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Slovakia all got there before Spain: see EUROPE 10313).
The examination of the independent security report submitted by Spain provided, in the view of the Commission, “reasonable assurances” that the minimum security standards to counter any cyber-attacks have been set in place. It is worth noting that the 27 national registries were suspended at 7.00pm on 19 January, when it was established that security shortcomings in the registries had once again allowed cyber-criminals to steal emissions quotas to sell for cash. (A.N./transl.fl)