Great Britain. Parliament. House of Lords. European Union Committee
Published: 2011
Total Pages: 94
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Following the Treaty of Lisbon, The European Council has been given the power to adopt and implement an internal security strategy. it did so in March 2010, and this was followed in November by a Commission communication setting out the priorities, and how to implement them. The communication sets out five steps towards a more secure Europe: The disruption of international crime networks, The prevention of terrorism, security in cyberspace, improved border management, and increased resilience to crises and disasters. Of these cyber-security is a comparative newcomer and it is now clear that it can lead to massive disruption of state infrastructure, and can be used for espionage, terrorism, even war. As such, much of the evidence received concerned the role which the EU might play in fighting cyber-attacks. The Commission's main proposal is to set up a new Cybercrime Centre. This might be no more than a talking shop, but it could become a useful tool for investigating and analysing past attacks, improving law enforcement and preventing future attacks. Much will depend on whether it is given adequate resources. The Committee looked at the implementation of the strategy and at the way in which it overlaps with national and international strategies, In the hope that they can be mutually supportive. The Council has a new committee, which, under the Treaties, has the duty of coordinating all the work on internal security. Unless it does so effectively very little can be achieved; if it properly fulfils its mandate, The EU may play a valuable role in protecting the security of its citizens.