EU Sets Up Internet Security Agency

The European Union (EU) has decided to establish an agency to help protect the Internet. The European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) is to be operational in early 2004.   The agreement of EU Member States came nine months after the European Commission (EC) originally proposed its draft regulation for ENISA, which will advise Member States and the EC on security issues, to increase awareness and help disseminate information regarding Internet risks, such as computer viruses and identity theft, and to coordinate security activities within the EU. ENISA will create a cooperative and systematic cross-border information exchange between the EU Member States in an effort to help governments, businesses and consumers protect their computer systems and data. Of the agreement, the European Commissioner for Enterprise and the Information Society said: "Trust and security are crucial components in the information society." For related news articles, see: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44-2003Nov20.html; or http://makeashorterlink.com/?Q1C3327B6. To see the text of the Commission's press release, visit: http://europa.eu.int/information_society/eeurope/2005/index_en.htm. Summary by: Clare McCurley