Brussels, 13/06/2008 (Agence Europe) -On Thursday 12 June, Greece was particularly pleased, at the end of the Telecommunications Council, at the unanimous decision taken by the member states in favour of extending the mandate of ENISA by three years (see EUROPE 9681). "Since discussions started on ENISA, the European Network and Information Security Agency, Greece has strongly supported an extension of its mandate post-2009. We are very pleased to note that the extension for three additional years, until 2012, was the subject of a unanimous consensus agreement during this Council of Ministers. Subjects such as cyber crime needed to be dealt with at European level. An agency specialising in network and information security is the right instrument to resolve problems such as these", declared the Greek Minister for Transport and Communications,
George Anastasopoulos.
Although he welcomed the position adopted by the Council, the executive director of ENISA, Andrea Pirotti, called upon the European Union to have a long-term vision and pleaded in favour of a permanent agency, whose work he feels is essential to reinforce cyber-security in Europe. "The need for secure networks, systems and services will certainly not disappear after 2012 (...). The security of networks and information concerns the business world and the everyday life of citizens in Europe. As a result, it must be reinforced on a permanent basis in order to allow us to respond to new emerging threats", stressed Mr Pirotti. (I.L./transl.fl)