Council Decision
of 14 April 2014
amending Decision 2013/488/EU on the security rules for protecting EU classified information
(2014/233/EU)
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 240(3) thereof,
Having regard to Council Decision 2009/937/EU of 1 December 2009 adopting the Council's Rules of Procedure , and in particular Article 24 thereof,
Whereas:
(1)
Appendix B to Council Decision 2013/488/EU contains a table of equivalence of security classifications.
(2)
The United Kingdom has notified the General Secretariat of the Council of changes to its security classifications.
(3)
It is, therefore, necessary to modify Decision 2013/488/EU accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
Appendix B to Decision 2013/488/EU is replaced by the text appearing in the Annex to this Decision.
Article 2
This Decision shall enter into force on the day of its publication.
Done at Luxembourg, 14 April 2014.
For the Council
The President
A. Tsaftaris
ANNEX
‘Appendix B

EQUIVALENCE OF SECURITY CLASSIFICATIONS
EU |TRÈS SECRET UE/EU TOP SECRET | SECRET UE/EU SECRET | CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL | RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED |
Belgium | Très Secret (Loi 11.12.1998) Zeer Geheim (Wet 11.12.1998) | Secret (Loi 11.12.1998) Geheim (Wet 11.12.1998) | Confidentiel (Loi 11.12.1998) Vertrouwelijk (Wet 11.12.1998) | nota below |
Bulgaria | Cтpoгo ceкретно | Ceкретно | Поверително | За служебно ползване |
Czech Republic | Přísně tajné | Tajné | Důvěrné | Vyhrazené |
Denmark | YDERST HEMMELIGT| HEMMELIGT| FORTROLIGT| TIL TJENESTEBRUG|
Germany | STRENG GEHEIM | GEHEIM | VS — VERTRAULICH | VS — NUR FÜR DEN DIENSTGEBRAUCH |
Estonia | Täiesti salajane | Salajane | Konfidentsiaalne | Piiratud |
Ireland | Top Secret | Secret | Confidential | Restricted |
Greece | Άκρως Απόρρητο Abr: ΑΑΠ | Απόρρητο Abr: (ΑΠ) | Εμπιστευτικό Αbr: (ΕΜ) | Περιορισμένης Χρήσης Abr: (ΠΧ) |
Spain | SECRETO | RESERVADO | CONFIDENCIAL | DIFUSIÓN LIMITADA |
France | Très Secret Défense | Secret Défense | Confidentiel Défense | nota below |
Croatia/VRLO TAJNO/TAJNO/POVJERLJIVO/OGRANIČENO
Italy | Segretissimo | Segreto | Riservatissimo | Riservato |
Cyprus | Άκρως Απόρρητο Αbr: (ΑΑΠ) | Απόρρητο Αbr: (ΑΠ) | Εμπιστευτικό Αbr: (ΕΜ) | Περιορισμένης Χρήσης Αbr: (ΠΧ) |
Latvia | Sevišķi slepeni | Slepeni | Konfidenciāli | Dienesta vajadzībām |
Lithuania | Visiškai slaptai | Slaptai | Konfidencialiai | Riboto naudojimo |
Luxembourg | Très Secret Lux | Secret Lux | Confidentiel Lux | Restreint Lux |
Hungary | Szigorúan titkos! | Titkos! | Bizalmas! | Korlátozott terjesztésű! |
Malta | L-Ogħla Segretezza | Sigriet | Kunfidenzjali | Ristrett |
Top Secret | Secret | Confidential | Restricted
Netherlands | Stg. ZEER GEHEIM | Stg. GEHEIM | Stg. CONFIDENTIEEL | Dep. VERTROUWELIJK |
Austria | Streng Geheim | Geheim | Vertraulich | Eingeschränkt |
Poland | Ściśle tajne | Tajne | Poufne | Zastrzeżone |
Portugal | Muito Secreto | Secreto | Confidencial | Reservado |
Romania | Strict secret de importanță deosebită | Strict secret | Secret | Secret de serviciu |
Slovenia | STROGO TAJNO | TAJNO | ZAUPNO | INTERNO
Slovakia | Prísne tajné | Tajné | Dôverné | Vyhradené |
Finland | ERITTÄIN SALAINEN YTTERST HEMLIG | SALAINEN HEMLIG | LUOTTAMUKSELLINEN KONFIDENTIELL | KÄYTTÖ RAJOITETTU BEGRÄNSAD TILLGÅNG |
Sweden | HEMLIG/TOP SECRET HEMLIG AV SYNNERLIG BETYDELSE FÖR RIKETS SÄKERHET | HEMLIG/SECRET HEMLIG | HEMLIG/CONFIDENTIAL HEMLIG | HEMLIG/RESTRICTED HEMLIG |
United Kingdom | UK TOP SECRET| UK SECRET| nota below| UK OFFICIAL-SENSITIVE
OJ L 325, 11.12.2009, p. 35.
Council Decision 2013/488/EU of 23 September 2013 on the security rules for protecting EU classified information (OJ L 274, 15.10.2013, p. 1).
Diffusion Restreinte/Beperkte Verspreiding is not a security classification in Belgium. Belgium handles and protects “RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED” information in a manner no less stringent than the standards and procedures described in the security rules of the Council of the European Union.
Germany: VS = Verschlusssache.
France does not use the classification “RESTREINT” in its national system. France handles and protects “RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED” information in a manner no less stringent than the standards and procedures described in the security rules of the Council of the European Union.
The Maltese and English markings for Malta can be used interchangeably.
Sweden: the security classification markings in the top row are used by the defence authorities and the markings in the bottom row by other authorities.
The UK no longer uses the classification “UK CONFIDENTIAL” in its national system. The UK handles and protects “CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL” classified information in accordance with the protective security requirements for “UK SECRET”.’.