Rules to protect the essential infrastructure of the European Union

The European Parliament has recently given its final approval to rules on improving the protection of the European Union’s (EU) essential infrastructure, with 595 votes in favor. The event of boosting critical infrastructure protection in the EU means that we are facing new challenges in this globalized environment.

   The eleven most important sectors of EU’s infrastructure to protect are the following: energy, transport, banking, financial market infrastructure, digital infrastructure, drinking and wastewater, food (including production, processing, and delivery), health, public administration, and space. Member states should adopt national strategies, and at the same time promote general cross-border communication.

   Additionally, the EU members focus on major global issues, such as the was between Russia and Ukraine. The European Parliament declares Russia to be a state sponsor of terrorism. Parliament members highlight that the attacks committed by Russian forces and their proxies against civilians in Ukraine, the destruction of civilian infrastructure and other serious violations of international and humanitarian law amount to acts of terror and constitute war crimes.

   Is this a turning point? Are we going into a new world war? No, the answer is no. Or not yet! Who knows? We are not able to predict the future. However, we can easily recognize that there is a huge change in how the European Union is preparing the member states for a new reality, attempting to protect critical infrastructure to develop an important level of autonomy. The economy will be seriously affected once again!