CHAPTER 7

EXCHANGE OF CLASSIFIED INFORMATION WITH OTHER UNION INSTITUTIONS, AGENCIES, BODIES AND OFFICES, WITH MEMBER STATES, AND WITH THIRD STATES AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

Exchange of EUCI with other Union institutions, agencies, bodies and offices
Article 52
1
Before entering into an administrative arrangement for the exchange of EUCI with another Union Institution, agency, body or office, the Commission shall seek assurance that the Union Institution, agency, body or office concerned:
a
has a regulatory framework for the protection of EUCI in place, which lays down basic principles and minimum standards equivalent to those laid down in this Decision and its implementing rules;
b
applies security standards and guidelines regarding personnel security, physical security, management of EUCI and security of Communication and Information Systems (CIS), which guarantee an equivalent level of protection of EUCI as that afforded in the Commission.
c
marks classified information which it creates, as EUCI.
2
The Directorate-General Human Resources and Security shall, in close cooperation with other competent Commission departments, be the lead service within the Commission for the conclusion of administrative arrangements for the exchange of EUCI with other Union institutions, agencies, bodies or offices.
3
Administrative arrangements shall as a general rule take the form of an Exchange of Letters, signed by the Director-General for Human Resources and Security on behalf of the Commission.
4
Before entering into an administrative arrangement on the exchange of EUCI, the Commission Security Authority shall conduct an assessment visit aimed at assessing the regulatory framework for protecting EUCI and ascertaining the effectiveness of measures implemented for protecting EUCI. The administrative arrangement shall enter into force, and EUCI shall be exchanged, only if the outcome of this assessment visit is satisfactory and the recommendations made further to the visit have been complied with. Regular follow-up assessment visits shall be conducted to verify that the administrative arrangement is complied with and the security measures in place continue to meet the basic principles and minimum standards agreed.
5
Within the Commission, the EUCI registry managed by the Secretariat General shall, as a general rule, be the main point of entry and exit for classified information exchanges with other Union institutions, agencies, bodies and offices. However, where on security, organisational or operational grounds it is more appropriate for protecting EUCI, local EUCI registries established within Commission departments in accordance with this Decision and its implementing rules, shall operate as the point of entry and exit for classified information regarding matters within the competence of the Commission departments concerned.
6
The Commission Security Expert Group shall be informed of the process of concluding administrative arrangements pursuant to paragraph 2.