European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection
A separate chapter under the responsibility of the Civil Emergency Preparedness and Strategies Division is the European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection. Its general objective is to improve the protection of critical infrastructures in the European Union. This objective is supposed to be achieved by Council Directive No. 2008/114/EC and other accompanying European projects (Critical Infrastructure Warning Information Network, European Reference Network for Critical Infrastructure Protection) and financial measures. The Civil Emergency Preparedness and Strategies Division acts as a contact point for coordinating issues related to the European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection within the Czech Republic and with other Member States, the Council of the EU and the European Commission.
- Council Directive No. 2008/114/EC
- Critical Infrastructure Warning Information Network
- European Reference Network for Critical Infrastructure Protection
Council Directive No. 2008/114/EC
This directive implements the procedure for the identification and designation of European Critical Infrastructures and a common approach to assessing the need to increase the protection of such infrastructures in order to contribute to the population protection.
Current status
Czech Republic has already transposed the Council Directive No. 2008/114/EC into national law by amending Act No. 240/2000 Coll. on Crisis Management, which entered into force on the 1st of January 2011. The implementation process of this Directive is therefore completed in the deadline set by the European Commission.
Based on the Article 4 of the Directive the Czech Republic has discussed the identification and designation of European Critical Infrastructures (hereinafter referred to as "ECI") on a bilateral and multilateral basis with neighbouring Member States: Austria, Slovakia, Germany and Poland. With these Member States the Czech Republic has signed general and technical protocols.
Based on the Articles 4 and 7 of the Directive the European Commission is continuously informed about the number of designated ECI in the Czech Republic. The European Commission also receive summary report from each Member State, which contents general data on vulnerability types, threats and risks identified by individual sectors with ECI.
The ECI, which could affect the above mentioned Member States, was identified in the Czech Republic only in the field of energy.
Critical Infrastructure Warning Information Network
One of measures to facilitate the implementation of the European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection is the Critical Infrastructure Warning Information Network (CIWIN). CIWIN is currently operates as a forum for exchanging information and best practices on relevant measures and strategies related to Critical Infrastructure Protection.
Participation in CIWIN project
Acces to CIWIN is allowed only on the basis of categories listed below:
- Critical Infrastructure Protection contact person, national portal managers (CIWIN Executive and CIWIN support officer) / ministries, trade unions, agencies, regional or local government of the EU Member States;
- Owners and/or operators of European Critical Infrastructures (Transport, Energy, ICT, etc.) / national research organizations, universities and Critical Infrastructure Protection Facilities / EU Registered Professionals / etc.;
- European Commission, European institutions and agencies / European association of operators registered in the transparency register (Energy, Transport, Water, Finance, etc.) under the European Commission.
An applicant can apply for the access to CIWIN portal directly on following link: https://europa.eu/sinapse/directaccess/ciwin
European Reference Network for Critical Infrastructure Protection
This European Commission project was created under the auspices of the European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection. Coordinator of the project (under the supervision of the European Commission and Member States' representatives) is the Joint Research Centre of the European Union, under which ERNCIP (ERNCIP office) is responsible for the management, coordination and administration.
The mission of the European Reference Network for Critical Infrastructure Protection (ERNCIP) is to support the development of innovative, qualified, effective and competitive security solutions through a network of European experimental laboratories and testing facilities.
ERNCIP provides a framework for experimental facilities and laboratories dealing with Critical Infrastructure to share knowledge and expertise across Europe. At the same time it should create a missing network of harmonized European testing and certification to enhance the competitiveness and innovation of products and services on the security market.
ERNCIP Inventory
Part of ERNCIP is the ERNCIP Inventory, free database of European experimental devices and laboratories. Within ERNCIP Inventory the users can find basic information about device (name, address, web site, etc.), services, experience, accreditation, test equipment, contacts, etc.
ERNCIP Inventory is divided into two categories of users, namely "Search users" and "Inventory members". For the so-called "Search users", this database will help all stakeholders (such as Member State administrations, infrastructure managers and research institutions) to identify and contact facilities to acquire specific knowledge and expertise on security of Critical Infrastructure Protection, to acquire certified solutions or to get partners to European Union projects. Meanwhile for “Inventory Members” (i.e. operators of experimental and testing facilities related to Critical Infrastructure Protection), this tool will provide greater visibility among the community dealing with this issue, mainly within the EU but also around the world. Participation in ERNCIP Inventory will thus increase their business potential and simplify collaboration with similar experimental and testing facilities.
ERNCIP Inventory can be applied by companies, experimental facilities, laboratories, universities, etc., dealing with Critical Infrastructure Protection.
The participation in ERNCIP project is purely on voluntary basis.
In case you would like to become one of the "Search Users" or to get more information about this project, please contact ERNCIP directly through this email:
erncip-office@jrc.ec.europa.eu.
If the applicant would like to become an "Inventory member", the membership can be applied directly on following link: https://erncip.jrc.ec.europa.eu/
Complete information on the ERNCIP project is available on the following link:
https://erncip-project.jrc.ec.europa.eu/