Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2003-11-18-Speech-2-263"
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Mr President, the Presidency is aware that communications networks should be seen as key, vital infrastructure in modern economies and, as such, should be protected: their protection and their security is a matter of public interest. Personally, as Mr Gasparri’s representative – who has, I am sorry to say, been detained in Italy today due to the grave tragedy that has struck our country, and is involved in paying our last respects to the soldiers killed in Iraq – I would like to confirm the Presidency’s past and ongoing commitment to the issue of security of networks and information. The European institutions have, moreover, shown that they are aware of the urgent need for joint action that will enable the Agency to actually be operational from the beginning of 2004, as the Heads of State or Government recommended to the Spring 2003 European Council.
Our institutions have the opportunity to render an essential service to the public and to the European agencies by creating this Agency, for the consensus we hope for at first reading is possible, which is an indication of a great sense of responsibility and of deep understanding of the sensitive nature of this matter. The negotiations were laborious and complex, but the positions of the Council and Parliament were gradually reconciled, evidence – and I repeat – of a great sense of responsibility. I hope, therefore, that, in a few days, we will be able to celebrate the adoption of this regulation.
To conclude, I want to thank Commissioner Liikanen, the rapporteur, Mr Paasilinna, and Mr van Velzen, Mrs Mann and Mrs Plooij-van Gorsel, as well as, of course, all the other members of the committee.
The Internet and communications technologies are certainly the innovations that have most characterised our society in recent years and that have influenced how the overwhelming majority of human activities are carried out. However, over and above the obvious advantages, these technologies have introduced a series of problems into our society that are linked to the poor reliability of the instruments used. Security requirements have changed rapidly over the past 20 years, in line with the development of networks and computers, which are ever more omnipresent in public and private life. Broadband connections give the user the possibility of having a permanent connection to the Internet; new wireless applications allow access in practically any place and the possibility of connecting almost anything to the network – from personal computers to household appliances – continues and will continue to develop people’s use of the Internet.
Controlling security has become a difficult and complex task and the user is faced with problems of the availability, integrity, authenticity and the confidentiality of data and services on a daily basis. The complexity of technology means that several components and elements have to interact and makes human behaviour a crucial factor.
Apart from being a source of malfunctions, computers and networks can, however, also be subjected to attacks on information systems. Today, an attack on an information system can put entire nations in serious difficulty. To reduce the likelihood of such an event, every country needs to take effective action to improve the security of its ICT infrastructure; given the cross-border dimension of the problem, however, structures need to be defined in which national experiences can be gathered together and become common heritage.
The experience of recent years has taught us that sharing experiences and information, and, more generally, international cooperation, are the most efficient weapons for creating a mentality of security in the information society. During its term in office, the Presidency has, therefore, made every effort to try to address this issue.
The proposal for a regulation that Parliament is looking at today is the result of greater agreement, by the institutions, on the need for a joint approach at European level regarding security of information. A convergence of positions was arrived at following an increase in concern from both the public and the private sectors regarding crime and even phenomena that are only potentially dangerous linked to the new technologies. The more communications networks become features that are essential and central to the functioning of our modern markets, the greater the endeavours we will have to make to ensure and create a secure, protected environment for those operating at the different levels.
One of the Agency’s objectives is to create a joint committee in Europe for issues relating to information security, which is necessary to guarantee the availability and security of networks and information systems in the Union. From this point of view, the Presidency upholds the importance of creating a new culture of security, in which such a concept is not just taken to mean a cost for operators to bear, but as a real and genuine opportunity for market development, also to be achieved by boosting consumer confidence.
The Agency should be able to facilitate the enforcement of Community measures on security of networks and information. The assistance provided by the Agency will help to implement Community legislation in this area, thus contributing to the smooth functioning of the internal market. This will strengthen the ability of the Community and of the Member States to react to problems of security of networks and of information systems, as well as to the development of the information society in general.
The actual model proposed by the Agency is innovative. In fact, it is based on the knowledge that measures in the area of security of networks can only be tackled in close cooperation with all actors in the world of communications: with market operators and with users of communications services."@en1
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