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

of 19 June 2023

on the security rules for the European External Action Service

(2023/C 263/04)

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

Having regard to the Council Decision 2010/427/EU of 26 July 2010 establishing the organisation and functioning of the European External Action Service (1) (hereinafter ‘Council Decision 2010/427/EU’), and in particular Article 10(1) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) The European External Action Service (hereinafter ‘EEAS’), as a functionally autonomous body of the European Union (EU), is to have security rules, as provided for in Article 10(1) of the Council Decision 2010/427/EU.

(2) The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (hereinafter ‘High Representative’ or ‘HR’) is to decide on security rules for the EEAS covering all aspects of security regarding the functioning of the EEAS, so that it can manage effectively the risks to staff placed under its responsibility, to its physical assets, information, and visitors, and fulfil its duty of care and responsibilities in this regard.

(3) In particular, a level of protection should be afforded to staff placed under the responsibility of the EEAS, to EEAS physical assets, including communication and information systems, information, and visitors, which is in line with the best practice in the Council, the Commission, the Member States and, as appropriate, in international organisations.

(4) The security rules for the EEAS should help achieve a more coherent comprehensive general framework within the EU for protecting EU Classified Information (hereinafter referred to as ‘EUCI’), building on, and maintaining as much coherence as possible with, the Council of the European Union (hereinafter referred to as ‘the Council’) security rules and the European Commission security provisions.

(5) The EEAS, the Council and the Commission are committed to applying equivalent security standards for protecting EUCI.

(6) This Decision is without prejudice to Articles 15 and 16 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) and to instruments implementing them;

(7) It is necessary to establish the organisation of security in the EEAS and the allocation of security tasks within the EEAS structures.

(8) The High Representative should draw on relevant expertise in the Member States, in the General Secretariat of the Council and in the Commission as necessary.

(9) The High Representative should take all appropriate measures necessary to implement these rules with the support of the Member States, the General Secretariat of the Council and the Commission.

(10) While the Secretary-General of the EEAS is the Security Authority of the EEAS, it is appropriate to review the security rules of the EEAS notably to take into account the establishment of the Crisis Response Centre and, for that purpose, to repeal and replace the Decision ADMIN(2017) 10 of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 19 September 2017 (2).

(11) In accordance with Article 15 (4) (a) of the Decision ADMIN(2017) 10 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, the EEAS Security Committee has been consulted on the envisaged amendments to the security rules of the EEAS.

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION: