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European Parliament approves cyber security mandate

Posted On: Apr. 16, 2013 12:00 AM CST

The European Parliament on Tuesday approved a new seven-year mandate that is intended to strengthen and modernize the European Network and Information Security Agency.

The mandate, which was approved by a 626-45 vote during a plenary session in Strasbourg, France, “aims to strengthen the agency to enable it to cope with network and information challenges,” the parliament said in a statement. “Consequently, an increase in financial and human resources allocated would be made to correspond to its enhanced role and tasks.”

The European Parliament said the regulation “gives the agency a clear mandate to support the establishment and functioning of a full-scale European Union computer emergency response team to counter cyber attacks at (the European Union) level, as requested by parliament’s industry committee.

“National bodies and E.U. institutions and agencies could request expertise and advice form ENISA in the event of a security breach or loss of integrity with a significant impact on the operation of networks and services,” according to the text approved by the legislature.

“We welcome this important step in the political process,” which enables ENISA to “work more intensively on prevention and preparedness in the field of cyber security,” Udo Helmbrecht, executive director of the Crete-based ENISA, said in a statement.