THE EUROPEAN – SECURITY AND DEFENCE UNION
A new EU legislation is needed for CBRN food and health risks
Protecting EU’s citizens and environment by Adina-Ioana Vălean MEP, Chair of ENVI Committee, European Parliament, Strasbourg/ Brussels
In the past years, the EU’s security environment has changed significantly. Instability in the EU’s eastern and southern neighbourhood is, in many instances, at the origin of current challenges to peace, security and prosperity within the EU. New types of threats, such as hybrid threats, are emerging and include the possibility of a terrorist attack using chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) materials as weapons of terror, possibly jeopardising public health, environmental protection and food safety and security within the EU.
Adina-Ioana Vălean MEP is the Chairwoman of the European Parliament’s Committee for Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). She has a master’s degree in European Integration and Security Studies and was a member of several foundations and associations promoting tolerance, dialogue and a liberal economic market before becoming a politician. In 2004, Ms Vălean has been elected member of the Romanian Parliament for the Romanian National Liberal Party. A member of the European
CBRN warfare knowledge and techniques
Parliament since 2007, she has focused on EU-US relations,
Following 11th September 2001, the international community came to believe there was a high probability that terrorists would make use of such weapons. The 2001 ‘anthrax letters’ attacks as well as the 2004 Madrid and 2005 London attacks were the bedrock of this line of thought. Fortunately up to now CBRN attacks have not fully reached their intended destructive power. However experts warn that the growing number of people familiar with CBRN warfare techniques and the spread of scientific knowledge, combined with poor security of relevant facilities, are making it relatively easy for terrorists to get hold of CBRN materials. Consequently, the international community has reacted to CBRN threats through a series of instruments, most of them under the aegis of the UN. Similarly, the EU, its Member States and other key partners (e.g. NATO), have undertaken numer-
innovation, internet economy and infrastructure. From 2014
Food safety is a major concern for public health in the EU
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to 2017, Ms Vălean has been Vice-President of the European Parliament, on behalf of the EPP Group, in charge of ICT.
ous activities to improve the ability to prevent CBRN incidents and protect citizens, institutions and infrastructure against such incidents.
Strong efforts on prevention and protection Although counter-terrorism is in general a national competence, crisis management procedures and tools to support the Member States in case of a CBRN disaster with cross-border implications have been developed at EU level, such as the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (facilitating cooperation in civil pro-
Source: by IAEA imagebank, CC BY SA 2.0, Flickr.com
