European Network and Information Security Agency

Intentions of the European authorities to strengthen monitoring bodies for a cyber by security of the European Union are given green light. The European agency of network and information security (ENISA, European Network and Information Security Agency) was founded in 2004, and initially it was given the mandate only till 2009, and then  till September, 2013. However, its work was prolonged by the decision of committee of European Parliament on the industry, researches and questions of power till 2020.

Also ENISA is offered creation of the Command of the emergency computer reaction of the European Union (European Union Computer Emergency Response Team, EU CERT) which will reflect the cyber attacks aimed at institutes of the European Union, public authorities and also to help member states in case of the attacks and failures in the networks belonging to them.  Also a part of obligations of ENISA is rendering assistance in development of preventive measures and means of fight against threats of information security.

The current head of ENISA Udo Helmbrecht managed to prolong the mandate of the agency till 2020. Now on its base the team of the emergency response to a cyber of the attack of national scale will be formed. 

The European Commissioner for digital questions Neelie Crous supported this solution, having called it a part of implementation of complex strategy for fight about a cyber crime. Though the solution of these questions was not a traditional priority or the sphere of competence of European Commission of the past, today a cyber criminals have "bigger business, than world drug dealers", Crous said.

According to her, the Internet attacks pose the increasing threat for national wellbeing. "They are used as new tools for political and economic espionage. Open attacks from terrorist groups and the foreign governments are possible", - Crous noted. She also added that today the Internet became one more arena for accumulation of military power across the nation.

Organization structure

European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) is the agency of the European Union. It was created in 2004, but really began the activity since September 1, 2005. The headquarters of the agency is located in the city of Geraklion (Crete, Greece).

The agency is controlled the director, its state is made by technical and academic experts and also the user groups. The budget of the agency during the period from 2005 to 2009 in total made 32 million euros. From the moment of taking office in 2009 of Udo Helmbrecht activity of the agency was prolonged till 2012 with the budget in the amount of additional 8 million euros.