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 Articles 28(1) and 41(1) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) In accordance with Article 2(1) of the Commission's provisions on security as set out in the Annex to Commission Decision 2001/844/EC, ECSC, Euratom(1), the Member of the Commission responsible for security matters is to take appropriate measures to ensure that, when handling EU classified information, the Commission's rules on security are respected within the Commission, and, inter alia, by contractors external to the Commission.
(2) Article 2(2) of the Commission provisions on security states that Member States, other institutions, bodies, offices and agencies established by virtue or on the basis of the Treaties are to be allowed to receive EU classified information on the condition that they ensure that strictly equivalent rules are respected within their services and premises, inter alia, by Member State's external contractors.
(3) The Commission provisions on security do not at present include elements on how their basic principles and minimum standards should apply where the Commission confers on external entities, by contract or grant agreement, tasks involving, entailing and/or containing EU classified information.
(4) It is therefore necessary to insert specific common minimum standards in that regard in the Commission's provisions on security and in the rules on security annexed thereto.
(5) These common minimum standards should also be complied with by Member States, for measures to be taken in accordance with national arrangements, where they confer by contract or grant agreement, tasks involving, entailing and/or containing EU classified information on the external entities referred to in Article 2(2) of the Commission provisions on security.
(6) These common minimum standards should apply without prejudice to other relevant acts, in particular Directive 2004/18/EC of the European Parliament and the Council of 31 March 2004 on the coordination of procedures for the award of public works contracts, public supply contracts and public service contracts(2), Council Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002 of 25 June 2002 on the Financial Regulation applicable to the general budget of the European Communities(3) and Commission Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 2342/2002(4) establishing its implementing rules and in particular to bilateral and multilateral agreements referred to in Articles 106 and 107 of Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1605/2002,
HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:
OJ L 317, 3.12.2001, p. 1. Decision as last amended by Decision 2006/70/EC, Euratom (OJ L 34, 7.2.2006, p. 32).
OJ L 134, 30.4.2004, p. 114. Directive as last amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 2083/2005 (OJ L 333, 20.12.2005, p. 28).
OJ L 357, 31.12.2002, p. 1. Regulation as last amended by Regulation (EC, Euratom) No 1261/2005 (OJ L 201, 2.8.2005, p. 3).