Access to European Union law
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Summaries of EU Legislation

Council security rules for protecting classified information (EUCI)

SUMMARY OF:

Decision 2013/488/EU on security rules for protecting EU classified information

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE DECISION?

It aims to establish a comprehensive security system for protecting classified information covering the Council of the EU, its General Secretariat (GSC) and the EU countries in order to support Council activities in all areas which require handling classified information.

KEY POINTS

Scope

  • The decision sets out the basic principles and minimum standards of security for protecting EU Classified Information (EUCI).
  • These principles and standards apply to the Council and the GSC and must be respected by the EU countries in accordance with their laws to ensure that each provides an equivalent level of protection to EUCI.

Classified information

EUCI means any information or material designated by an EU security classification, which, if disclosed without authorisation, could affect the interests of the EU or of one or more EU countries.

There are 4 classification levels:

  1. Top Secret: information and material the unauthorised disclosure of which could cause exceptionally grave prejudice to the essential interests of the EU or of one or more EU countries;
  2. Secret: information and material the unauthorised disclosure of which could seriously harm the essential interests of the EU or of one or more EU countries;
  3. EU Confidential: information and material the unauthorised disclosure of which could harm the essential interests of the EU or of one or more EU countries;
  4. EU Restricted: information and material the unauthorised disclosure of which could be disadvantageous to the interests of the EU or of one or more EU countries.

Access to EUCI

Personal security measures are designed to ensure that access to EUCI is granted only those who have:

  • a need to know;
  • been security cleared to the relevant level, where appropriate; and
  • been briefed on their responsibilities.

FROM WHEN DOES THE DECISION APPLY?

It has applied since .

BACKGROUND

The European Commission and the European Parliament have also adopted rules governing treatment of EUCI:

  • The Commission’s rules are set out in a 2015 Decision;
  • the Parliament’s rules are set out in Bureau Decision which entered into force in 2014.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Council Decision 2013/488/EU of on the security rules for protecting EU classified information (OJ L 274, , pp. 1-50)

Successive amendments to Decision 2013/488/EU have been incorporated in the original text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.

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