Government backs plans to double ENISA budget

Minister Ed Vaizey says European Information and Network Security Agency is showing 'signs of greater effectiveness'

The UK government is backing plans to more than double the annual budget of the European Information and Network Security Agency (ENISA) and boost its role co-ordinating the fight against cyber crime and maintaining a centre of excellence and expertise on network and information security (NIS).

The Culture, Communications and Creative Industries Minister Ed Vaizey said of the plans: "This agency, which has been scorned for having inaccessible headquarters in Heraklion, Crete, can now provide relevant and timely support - through research and position papers for example - to both the Commission and other stakeholders on key live issues."

He told the Commons European Scrutiny Committee that subject to ENISA playing an increasingly important role in an area key to the well-being of the UK and the EU, there was "some justification" for the increase from €8m to around €19m a year by 2016.

The committee accepted that the body is now showing "signs of greater effectiveness" and has agreed not to call for a debate in the Commons on proposals to extend its remit to 2013, but it has demanded further updates on negotiations for a new regulation in Brussels to extend its remit further.

A decision may be taken at the European Council following the next Telecoms Council meeting on 2 December. MPs were told the decision to give the new agency to Greece with freedom for the Greek government to decide its location was a "political" one taken by heads of government in the European Council and cannot be re-visited.

Vaizey told MPs that the UK government regards NIS and cyber security policy to be of such high priority that it is represented on the ENISA management board and that the Department for Business, the Office for Cyber Security and the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure have "worked closely" with it.

He said the UK remains opposed to "mission creep" in which the agency would develop an operational role duplicating the work of agencies in member states.