Source · Select Committees · Business and Trade Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Accepted
Mandate UK-EU security arrangements include explicit recognition of mutually beneficial critical infrastructure protection.
Recommendation
Any new UK-EU security arrangements must include an explicit recognition that it would be mutually beneficial to act together to guard the critical national infrastructure on which the UK and EU business community depends, from those who wish it ill. (Recommendation, Paragraph 12)
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the recommendation, stating that the new UK-EU Security & Defence Partnership will enhance cooperation on critical infrastructure resilience, including underwater infrastructure. It confirms the partnership reflects shared interests and will enable working together to tackle risks and build collective resilience.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
Our new UK-EU Security & Defence Partnership will enable us to enhance our cooperation on the resilience of critical infrastructure in Europe, including underwater infrastructure. The Partnership reflects that the UK and the EU have shared interests which go beyond traditional strategic domains, including critical infrastructure resilience, where cascading impacts can span borders. It will enable us to work together to tackle shared risks and build our collective resilience. The importance of ensuring the UK’s critical national infrastructure is protected from attack below and above the threshold of war is also highlighted in the UK’s Strategic Defence Review, published on 2 June. The UK’s Trade Strategy, published on 26 June, also notes the central importance of the resilience of critical national infrastructure in underpinning efforts to strengthen the UK’s economic and national security.