EU agency will improve cyber security.

• Author: Swartz, Nikki
• Position: Up front: news, trends & analysis - European Commission planning to create a European Network and Information Security Agency

The European Commission has proposed the creation of a European Network and Information Security Agency that will serve as a center of intelligence where both European Union (EU) member states and institutions can seek advice on cyber security issues.

The agency will play a key role in securing Europe's digital economy and developing the information society in general. It also will assist member states' authorities, including their computer emergency response teams, by ensuring the interoperability of information security functions in networks and information systems.

Today, public and private EU organizations gather data on information technology (IT) incidents and other data relevant to information security. However, there is no central agency that collects and analyzes such data to support EU policy work in that area while simultaneously providing added value to national initiatives.

"The European Network and Information Security Agency will build on national efforts to enhance network and information security and to increase the ability of member states and EU institutions to prevent and respond to network and information security problems," said Erkki Liikanen, the European commissioner responsible for the Enterprise and Information Society.

The European Network and Information Security Agency will launch cooperative initiatives between different organizations in the information security field to support the development of secure e-business, among other goals. Currently, more than 90 percent of EU companies have an Internet connection and the majority operate a Web site. In 2002, about 40 percent of EU households had their own Internet connections and more than two-thirds of...