Commission Decision of 15 December 2006 establishing the Commission's standard security measures and alert states and amending its Rules of Procedure as regards operational procedures for management of crisis situations (2007/65/EC) (repealed)

Article 1

1. The crisis system shall be managed by a Management Group, in accordance with paragraph 2. It shall be supported by an Operational Team and a Monitoring Team, established by the Director of the Commission Security Directorate.

2. The Management Group shall meet under the chairmanship of the Deputy Secretary-General. It shall consist of a Member of the Cabinet of the President and of the Member of the Commission responsible for security matters, the Director of the Commission Security Directorate, Directors-General of the Legal Service, for Personnel and Administration, for Budget, for Communication, for Justice Freedom and Security, for External Relations, for Informatics and such other persons as the Deputy Secretary-General considers appropriate in the circumstances.

3. If a crisis situation arises outside the European Union, a member of the cabinet of the Commissioner responsible for External Relations shall be invited to attend the meetings of the Management Group.

4. The Management Group shall be responsible for advising the Commission and in particular the Member of the Commission responsible for security matters on appropriate measures to be taken to protect the staff and assets of the Commission, and ensure its operational effectiveness, in the event of a crisis situation.

5. The President, the Member of the Commission responsible for security matters and each Member of the Commission involved in the crisis situation shall be kept informed of developments by the Chairman of the Management Group.

6. A 24-hour, seven-days-a-week readiness service shall operate, on the basis of the constant presence of at least two officials, so that the Security Directorate can discharge its responsibilities.

Article 2

1. Inside the European Union, the Member of the Commission responsible for security matters may at any time instruct the Director of the Commission Security Directorate to put the crisis management system into operation.

2. If a crisis situation arises outside the European Union, the decision to put the crisis management system into operation shall be taken jointly by the Members of the Commission responsible for External Relations and for Security Matters.

Article 3

1. To enable decisions to be taken with sufficient speed to ensure the protection of Commission staff (including protection of their health at the workplace), information, buildings and other assets from any threat and to ensure its operational capacity, in situations where urgency precludes the use of usual decision-making procedures, paragraphs 2 and 3 shall apply.

2. If a crisis situation arises inside the European Union, the Member of the Commission responsible for security matters may take any decision he considers necessary to protect the staff and assets of the Commission from such threat.

In situations of extreme urgency the Director of the Commission Security Directorate may take similar decisions to those provided for in the first subparagraph, acting where possible in consultation with the Management Group. Any use of these powers shall immediately be reported to the Member of the Commission responsible for security matters, for review, and where appropriate, endorsement, amendment or revocation. The chairperson of the Management Group shall be informed at the same time as the Member of the Commission responsible for security matters.

3. If a crisis situation arises outside the European Union, in situations of extreme urgency the Head of a Commission mission or Community delegation may take similar decisions to those provided for in the first subparagraph of paragraph 2. Any use of these powers shall be reported to the Member of the Commission responsible for External Relations who shall immediately inform the Member of the Commission responsible for security matters. These decisions shall be jointly reviewed by the two Members, and where appropriate endorsed, amended or revoked. The chairperson of the Management Group shall be informed at the same time as the Member of the Commission responsible for security matters.

4. Any decision taken pursuant to this article shall be submitted to the next meeting of the College for review and, where appropriate, endorsement, amendment or revocation.

Article 4

1. In the case of exceptional and unforeseeable events which make it impossible for the Commission to decide as a College by written or oral procedure as set out in article 4 of its Rules of Procedure, the President of the Commission may, on behalf of the Commission and under its responsibility, adopt any measure which, in the context of the specific crisis situation, is considered urgent and necessary to preserve the Community public interest, to meet legal obligations of the Community or to prevent avoidable damages on Community institutions or bodies, Member States or on the Union's citizens and undertakings.

2. The President shall act, as far as practicable, after consultation of the departments with a legitimate interest and the members of the Commission not prevented from exercising their functions.

3. Any decision taken pursuant to this article shall be submitted to the College for review and, where appropriate, endorsement, amendment or revocation once the conditions necessary for the functioning of the College are in place.

Article 5

The provisions on deputising laid down in the Rules of Procedure of the Commission and the Rules giving effect to them shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to the present decision.

Article 6

A system comprising standard security measures and three alert states is established. The system and the corresponding security measures shall be as set out in the Annex. It shall apply to all the premises of the Commission.

Article 7

The Commission provisions on operational procedures for crisis management annexed to its Rules of Procedure by Decision 2003/246/EC, Euratom are deleted.

Article 8

This Decision is without prejudice to the Commission provisions setting up the ARGUS general alert system annexed to its Rules of Procedure by Commission Decision 2006/25/EC, Euratom(1).

Article 9

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its adoption.

It shall be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 15 December 2006.

For the Commission

Siim Kallas

Member of the Commission