{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-1992-242/introduction",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-1992-242/introduction.json",
  "legislation": "eudn/1992/242",
  "legislation_title": "Council Decision of 31 March 1992 in the field of security of information systems (92/242/EEC)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-decision-1992-242",
  "path": "introduction",
  "kind": "introduction",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Introductory text",
  "text": "Council Decision\nof 31 March 1992\nin the field of security of information systems\n(92/242/EEC)\nTHE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,\nHaving regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community, and in particular Article 235 thereof,\nHaving regard to the proposal from the Commission,\nHaving regard to the opinion of the European Parliament,\nHaving regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee,\nWhereas the Community has as its task, by establishing a common market and progressively approximating the economic policies of the Member States, to promote throughout the Community a harmonious development of economic activities, a continuous and balanced expansion, an increase in stability, an accelerated raising of the standard of living and closer relations between the Member States;\nWhereas information stored, processed and transmitted electronically plays an increasingly important role in economic and social activities;\nWhereas the advent of efficient global communications and the pervasive use of electronic handling of information emphasizes the need for adequate protection;\nWhereas the European Parliament has repeatedly stressed the importance of the security of information systems in its debates and resolutions;\nWhereas the Economic and Social Committee has emphasized the need to address issues relating to the security of information systems in Community forms of action, particularly in view of the impact of the completion of the internal market;\nWhereas forms of action at national, international and Community levels provide a good basis;\nWhereas there is a close link between telecommunications, information technology, standardization, the information market and research, development and technology (RDT) policies, as well as the work already undertaken in these areas by the Community;\nWhereas it is appropriate to ensure that efforts are concerted by building on existing national and international work and by promoting cooperation between the principal parties concerned; whereas it is therefore appropriate to proceed within the framework of a coherent action plan;\nWhereas the complexity of the security of information systems calls for the development of strategies to enable the free movement of information within the single market while ensuring the security of the use of information systems throughout the Community;\nWhereas it is the responsibility of each Member State to take into account the constraints imposed by security and public order;\nWhereas the responsibilities of the Member States in this area imply a concerted approach based on close collaboration with senior officials of the Member States;\nWhereas provision should be made for a plan of action for an initial period of twenty-four months and the setting-up of a Committee of Senior Officials with a long-term mandate to advise the Commission on forms of action in the area of security of information systems;\nWhereas an amount of ECU 12 million is considered necessary to implement the action for an initial period of twenty-four months; whereas for 1992, in the context of the present financial perspective, the amount estimated necessary is ECU 2 million;\nWhereas the amounts to be committed in order to finance the programme for the period following the 1992 budget year will form part of the existing Community financial framework,\nHAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS:",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "OJ No C 277, 5. 11. 1990, p. 18."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "OJ No C 94, 13. 3. 1992."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "text": "OJ No C 159, 17. 6. 1991, p. 38."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/1992/242/introduction",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T15:19:49.498173+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}