Brussels, 06/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 5 June, EU interior ministers reached a political agreement on a proposal for a directive concerning an inventory and classification of critical European infrastructures, the aim of which is to enhance protection of the latter. In December 2006, the Commission had presented a proposal for a directive mainly aimed at establishing a confidential list of vital European infrastructures in the event, for example, of terrorist attack (EUROPE 9326). In the text adopted, critical infrastructures are defined as those that are essential for the functioning of a society and economy, such as health, security and the economic and social welfare of citizens, and whose closure or destruction would have a significant impact on at least two EU member states. It would be up to each member state to carry out a confidential census of such vital European infrastructure according to objective but flexible criteria as included in the annex to the proposal, one diplomat explains. Compared to the initial proposal, which concerned a large number of sectors, only two key sectors have been identified as able to group critical infrastructure: energy (electricity, oil and gas) and transport. Nuclear power plants may therefore be included on the list. A third sector, that of communication and information networks, has been identified as part of the future priorities. Member states are expected to ensure that a security plan for operators exists and is regularly assessed for the classified infrastructure. A security liaison agent will act as a point of contact on security issues between the infrastructure operator and the member state authority. Member states are also expected to report every two years to the Commission with an assessment of the threat on critical infrastructure. The directive focuses on energy and transport. It will be reviewed after three years in order, above all, to include other sectors. “Respect of the principle of subsidiarity and progressiveness in coverage of the sectors have allowed the Council to draw up a good text”, the diplomat concluded. (B.C./transl.jl)