Commission Decision

of 3 February 2005

amending Decision 2001/844/EC, ECSC, Euratom

(2005/94/EC, Euratom)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 218(2) thereof,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community, and in particular Article 131 thereof,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, and in particular Article 28(1) and Article 41(1) thereof,

Whereas:

(1)
The Commission’s security system is based on the principles set out in Council Decision 2001/264/EC of 19 March 2001 adopting the Council’s security regulations1 with a view to ensuring a smooth functioning of the decision-making process of the Union.
(2)
The Commission’s provisions on security are contained in the Annex to Commission Decision 2001/844/EC, ECSC, Euratom of 29 November 2001 amending its internal Rules of Procedure2.
(3)

Appendix 1 to the Rules on security annexed to those provisions contains a table of equivalence including national security classifications.

(4)
On 16 April 2003, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia signed the Treaty concerning their accession to the European Union3. Appendix 1 to the Rules on security should be amended in order to take account of those States.
(5)
On 14 March 2003 the European Union signed an agreement4 with NATO on the security of information. It is therefore also necessary to establish correspondence with NATO classification levels in Appendix 1 to the Rules on security.
(6)

France and the Netherlands have changed their legislation on classification.

(7)

In the interests of clarity, Appendix 1 to the Rules on security should be replaced.

(8)

At the same time, the Annex to Decision 2001/844/EC, ECSC, Euratom should be corrected in order to ensure that the four classification terms are used homogeneously in all language versions,

HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:

Article 1

Appendix 1 to the Rules on security contained in the Annex to Decision 2001/844/EC, ECSC, Euratom is replaced by the Annex to this Decision.

Article 2

The Annex to Decision 2001/844/EC, ECSC, Euratom is corrected by replacing in all linguistic versions the four classification terms, as appropriate, by the following terms which shall always be written in capital letters:

  • ‘RESTREINT UE’,

  • ‘CONFIDENTIEL UE’,

  • ‘SECRET UE’,

  • ‘TRES SECRET UE/EU TOP SECRET’.

Article 3

This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Done at Brussels, 3 February 2005.

For the Commission

Siim Kallas

Vice-President

ANNEX

‘Appendix 1

COMPARISON OF NATIONAL SECURITY CLASSIFICATIONS

EU classification

TRES SECRET UE/EU TOP SECRET

SECRET UE

CONFIDENTIEL UE

RESTREINT UE

WEU classification

FOCAL TOP SECRET

WEU SECRET

WEU CONFIDENTIAL

WEU RESTRICTED

Euratom classification

EURA TOP SECRET

EURA SECRET

EURA CONFIDENTIAL

EURA RESTRICTED

NATO classification

COSMIC TOP SECRET

NATO SECRET

NATO CONFIDENTIAL

NATO RESTRICTED

Belgium

Très Secret

Secret

Confidentiel

Diffusion restreinte

Zeer Geheim

Geheim

Vertrouwelijk

Beperkte Verspreiding

Czech Republic

Přísn tajné

Tajné

Důvěrné

Vyhrazené

Denmark

Yderst hemmeligt

Hemmeligt

Fortroligt

Til tjenestebrug

Germany

Streng geheim

Geheim

VS5 — Vertraulich

VS — Nur für den Dienstgebrauch

Estonia

Täiesti salajane

Salajane

Konfidentsiaalne

Piiratud

Greece

Άκρως Απόρρητο

Απόρρητο

Εμπιστευτικό

Περιορισμένης Χρήσης

Abr: ΑΑΠ

Abr: (ΑΠ)

Αbr: (ΕΜ)

Abr: (ΠΧ)

Spain

Secreto

Reservado

Confidencial

Difusión Limitada

France

Très Secret Défense6

Secret Défense

Confidentiel Défense

Ireland

Top Secret

Secret

Confidential

Restricted

Italy

Segretissimo

Segreto

Riservatissimo

Riservato

Cyprus

Άκρως Απόρρητο

Απόρρητο

Εμπιστευτικό

Περιορισμένης Χρήσης

Latvia

Sevišķi slepeni

Slepeni

Konfidenciāli

Dienesta vajadzībām

Lithuania

Visiškai slaptai

Slaptai

Konfidencialiai

Riboto naudojimo

Luxembourg

Très Secret

Secret

Confidentiel

Diffusion restreinte

Hungary

Szigorúan titkos !

Titkos !

Bizalmas !

Korlátozott terjesztésű !

Malta

L-Ghola Segretezza

Sigriet

Kunfidenzjali

Ristrett

Netherlands

Stg7. Zeer Geheim

Stg. Geheim

Stg. Confidentieel

Departementaalvertrouwelijk

Austria

Streng Geheim

Geheim

Vertraulich

Eingeschränkt

Poland

Ściśle Tajne

Tajne

Poufne

Zastrzeżone

Portugal

Muito Secreto

Secreto

Confidencial

Reservado

Slovenia

Strogo tajno

Tajno

Zaupno

SVN Interno

Slovakia

Prísne tajné

Tajné

Dôverné

Vyhradené

Finland

Erittäin salainen

Erittäin salainen

Salainen

Luottamuksellinen

Sweden

Kvalificerat hemlig

Hemlig

Hemlig

Hemlig

United Kingdom

Top Secret

Secret

Confidential

Restricted’

5

VS = Verschlusssache.

6

The classification Très secret défense, which covers governmental priority issues, may only be changed with the Prime Minister’s authorisation.

7

Stg = staatsgeheim.