Brussels, 03/01/2007 (Agence Europe) - EU plans to draw up a top-secret list of critical European infrastructure terror targets are causing Britain concern. British officials fear Brussels may encroach upon London's prerogatives when it comes to combating terrorism.
Mid-December 2006, the European Commission put forward a directive that requires Britain and other Member States to compile a list of critical infrastructure installations of such a sensitive nature that an attack on them or natural disaster would trigger a European-level crisis (EUROPE 9326).
Despite Commission reassurance, the United Kingdom plans to make its concerns known when discussions on this proposal begin early this year. “We will fully contribute to this EU initiative but we do have some concerns with specific aspects”, a British official told The Daily Telegraph. Such concerns, however, relate more to the distinction that the European Executive wants to make between what is European and what is national infrastructure, the daily states, stressing that the United Kingdom does not wish to duplicate at European level the work that has already been carried out at national level. The British government is, however, prepared to concede some prevention of terrorism activities where Community involvement would be justified. (bc)