DECISION OF THE HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY

of 29 March 2022

amending Decision ADMIN(2017) 10 of 19 September 2017 on the security rules for the European External Action Service

(2022/C 238/07)

THE HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY,

Having regard to Council Decision 2010/427/EU of 26 July 2010 establishing the organisation and functioning of the European External Action Service (‘EEAS’) (1),

Having regard to the opinion of the Committee referred to in Article 15 of the Decision of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 19 September 2017 on the security rules for the European External Action Service (2), and in particular paragraph 4 and 5 thereof,

Whereas:

(1)	Appendix B to HR Decision ADMIN(2017) 10 contains a table of equivalence of security classifications,

(2)

France has notified to the EEAS changes to its security classifications. Those changes introduce two new classification markings with effect from 1 July 2021: ‘TRÈS SECRET’ and ‘SECRET’. Information generated by France before 1 July 2021 and classified ‘TRÈS SECRET DÉFENSE’, ‘SECRET DÉFENSE’ or ‘CONFIDENTIEL DÉFENSE’ should continue to be handled and protected at the equivalent level of ‘TRÈS SECRET UE/EU TOP SECRET’, ‘SECRET UE/EU SECRET’ or ‘CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL’ respectively.

(3)	The transition period provided for in Article 126 of the Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community (the ‘Withdrawal Agreement’) ended on 31 December 2020.

(4)	Sweden notified the entry into force on 1 April 2019 of the Protective Security Act (2018:585), which amends the Swedish classification scheme.

(5)	An amendment of Decision ADMIN(2017) 10 is necessary in order to reflect those changes,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Appendix B of Decision ADMIN(2017) 10 is replaced by the text appearing in the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

The Decision shall enter into force on the day following its signature.

Done at Brussels, 29 March 2022.

Josep BORRELL FONTELLES

High Representative

of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

(1) OJ L 201, 3.8.2010, p. 30.

(2) OJ C 126, 10.4.2018, p. 1.

ANNEX

‘Appendix B

Equivalence of security classifications

EU	TRES SECRET UE/EU TOP SECRET	SECRET UE/EU SECRET	CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL	RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED
EURATOM	EURA TOP SECRET	EURA SECRET	EURA CONFIDENTIAL	EURA RESTRICTED
Belgium	Très Secret (Loi 11.12.1998) Zeer Geheim (Wet 11.12.1998)	Secret (Loi 11.12.1998) Geheim (Wet 11.12.1998)	Confidentiel (Loi 11.12.1998) Vertrouwelijk (Wet 11.12.1998)	Nota (1) below
Bulgaria	Cтpoгo ceкретно	Ceкретно	Поверително	За служебно ползване
Czech Republic	Přísně tajné	Tajné	Důvěrné	Vyhrazené
Denmark	YDERST HEMMELIGT	HEMMELIGT	FORTROLIGT	TIL TJENESTEBRUG
Germany	STRENG GEHEIM	GEHEIM	VS (2) — VERTRAULICH	VS — NUR FÜR DEN DIENSTGEBRAUCH
Estonia	Täiesti salajane	Salajane	Konfidentsiaalne	Piiratud
Ireland	Top Secret	Secret	Confidential	Restricted
Greece	Άκρως Απόρρητο Abr: ΑΑΠ	Απόρρητο Abr: (ΑΠ)	Εμπιστευτικό Αbr: (ΕΜ)	Περιορισμένης Χρήσης Abr: (ΠΧ)
Spain	SECRETO	RESERVADO	CONFIDENCIAL	DIFUSIÓN LIMITADA
France	TRÈS SECRET TRÈS SECRET DÉFENSE (3)	SECRET SECRET DÉFENSE (3)	CONFIDENTIEL DÉFENSE (3) (4)	Nota (5) below
Croatia	VRLO TAJNO	TAJNO	POVJERLJIVO	OGRANIČENO
Italy	Segretissimo	Segreto	Riservatissimo	Riservato
Cyprus	Άκρως Απόρρητο Αbr: (AΑΠ)	Απόρρητο Αbr: (ΑΠ)	Εμπιστευτικό Αbr: (ΕΜ)	Περιορισμένης Χρήσης Αbr: (ΠΧ)
Latvia	Sevišķi slepeni	Slepeni	Konfidenciāli	Dienesta vajadzībām
Lithuania	Visiškai slaptai	Slaptai	Konfidencialiai	Riboto naudojimo
Luxembourg	Très Secret Lux	Secret Lux	Confidentiel Lux	Restreint Lux
Hungary	“Szigorúan titkos!”	“Titkos!”	“Bizalmas!”	“Korlátozott terjesztésű!”
Malta	L-Ogħla Segretezza Top Secret	Sigriet Secret	Kunfidenzjali Confidential	Ristrett Restricted (6)
Netherlands	Stg. ZEER GEHEIM	Stg. GEHEIM	Stg. CONFIDENTIEEL	Dep. VERTROUWELIJK
Austria	Streng Geheim	Geheim	Vertraulich	Eingeschränkt
Poland	Ściśle Tajne	Tajne	Poufne	Zastrzeżone
Portugal	Muito Secreto	Secreto	Confidencial	Reservado
Romania	Strict secret de importanță deosebită	Strict secret	Secret	Secret de serviciu
Slovenia	STROGO TAJNO	TAJNO	ZAUPNO	INTERNO
Slovakia	Prísne tajné	Tajné	Dôverné	Vyhradené
Finland	ERITTÄIN SALAINEN YTTERST HEMLIG	SALAINEN HEMLIG	LUOTTAMUKSELLINEN KONFIDENTIELL	KÄYTTÖ RAJOITETTU BEGRÄNSAD TILLGÅNG
Sweden	Kvaliciferat hemlig	Hemlig	Konfidentiell	Begränsat hemlig

(1) Diffusion Restreinte/Beperkte Verspreiding is not a security classification in Belgium. Belgium handles and protects ‘RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED’ information in a manner no less stringent than the standards and procedures described in the security rules of the Council of the European Union.

(2) Germany: VS = Verschlusssache.

(3) Information generated by France before 1 July 2021 and classified ’TRÈS SECRET DÉFENSE’, ’SECRET DÉFENSE’ and ’CONFIDENTIEL DÉFENSE’ continue to be handled and protected at the equivalent level of ’TRÈS SECRET UE/EU TOP SECRET’, ’SECRET UE/EU SECRET’ and ’CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL’ respectively.

(4) France handles and protects ‘CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL’ information in accordance with the French security measures for protecting ’SECRET’ information.

(5) France does not use the classification ‘RESTREINT’ in its national system. France handles and protects ‘RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED’ information in a manner no less stringent than the standards and procedures described in the security rules of the Council of the European Union.

(6) The Maltese and English markings for Malta can be used interchangeably.’