On Tuesday 25 June, the Council of the EU adopted a recommendation on a Blueprint to coordinate a response at EU level to disruptions of critical infrastructures with significant cross-border relevance, according to a press release.
The recommendation was presented at the end of 2022 following the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipeline (see EUROPE 13045/11). Critical entities are entities that provide essential services in sectors such as transport, energy and health.
The recommendation sets up an EU master plan “to promote shared awareness of the origin and potential consequences of an incident, to reinforce the coordination of public communications and to strengthen an effective response“.
It provides for information sharing, coordination with other EU crisis and emergency management mechanisms, exchanges on public communication approaches, preparation of incident reports and technical support provided by other Member States or EU institutions to affected Member States.
A critical infrastructure incident with significant cross-border relevance occurs when it significantly disrupts: the provision of essential services, as assessed by at least six affected Member States; the provision of essential services by a critical entity of particular European importance; the provision of essential services to or in two or more Member States and requires, in agreement with the countries affected, a response at EU level.
The Member States were vigilant during the text’s examination to ensure that their prerogatives were respected.
Link to the recommendation: https://aeur.eu/f/csw (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)