European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA): duration

The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy adopted the report by Angelika NIEBLER (EPP-ED, DE), through the simplified procedure, on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EC) No 460/2004 establishing the European Network and Information Security Agency as regards its duration, approving the Commission’s proposal with a series of precisions.

The main amendment, adopted at first reading of the codecision procedure, refers to the duration of the Agency’s mandate. In fact, MEPs consider that an additional year is needed to allow further reflection on the general direction of the European efforts towards increased network and information security. Therefore, they believe that the duration of the Agency’s mandate should be extended to 13 March 2012 (rather than 13 March 2011), that is one year longer than planned in the Commission’s proposal (its proposal requested that the Agency’s mandate be extended from five to seven years, MEPs believe that a mandate of eight years would be preferable).

This extension would also enable further discussion on the ENISA and, in particular, on the results of the ENISA evaluation process, the Management Board’s recommendations and on the ongoing review of the regulatory framework for electronic communications networks and services.