Brussels, 27/10/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 27 October, the European Commission proposed the creation of an early warning mechanism allowing the Member States of the EU and the Commission to notify imminent threats and risks to certain sensitive European sites. "This proposal is one of the cornerstones of the European programme for the protection of critical infrastructures and marks an important stage in the creation of a network designed effectively to protect this infrastructure. European citizens will feel safer once the system is in place", said the European Commissioner for Security, Jacques Barrot. The proposed legislation aims to create a secure information system (the CIWIN), which will be operated by the European Commission and hosted by the Joint Research Centre at Ispra. The objective of this system is to help the Member States of the EU to exchange their best practice and information on threats and weaknesses, and to them to exchange information on activities carried out jointly to protect critical infrastructure (in the transport and energy sectors, for example). The CIWIN will be an optional information tool designed to store and transmit sensitive information. It will essentially fulfil two functions: firstly, that of a secure forum for the exchange of information, with priority given to the exchange of best practice, and secondly, that of an early warning system for critical infrastructure. The Member States will be free to use the whole of the network, to choose either function or not to use the network at all. Only those which have concluded an agreement with the Commission will be able to take part in the system. (B.C./trans.fl)