The Government is in favour of extending the mandate of the European Network and Information Security Agency ENISA by five years. It also supports modernising and improving the effectiveness of the agency's operations.
The agency should also take the prevention of cybercrime into consideration in its work in the future and promote the construction of co-operation models currently missing between different actors.
The Government expressed its views on the European Commission's proposals for organizing ENISA's operations in a communication to the Parliament.
The duties of ENISA include advising and supporting EU institutions and member countries in questions related to network security. The agency would still not have any actual powers to issue binding orders to member countries.
In its communication, the Government finds it desirable that the resources of the agency be aimed at developing national information security authorities and facilitating the co-operation of these authorities.
The Government also finds it necessary to set the Commission an obligation to evaluate the profitability of ENISA. This evaluation could be used to decide whether the activities of the agency are worth continuing after the agency's mandate expires.
ENISA was founded in 2004. The agency's current mandate expires in March 2012. ENISA is situated in Heraklion, Greece, and it is one of the smallest agencies of the EU.
Further information:
Mr Timo Kievari, Senior Officer, tel. +358 9 160 28620
