20 November 2024, Brussels - Critical infrastructures are vital for the economy of any country, serving as the backbone for essential services such as energy, transport, finance, defense, healthcare, and telecommunications. These systems ensure the smooth functioning of daily life and play a crucial role in maintaining economic stability and growth on a global scale.
The connections critical infrastructures provide between economies are recognized by the EU Global Gateway, which emphasizes connectivity in transport/trade, digital, and the green transition. This led to a series of large-scale investments in third countries around the world in major energy infrastructure projects (pipelines, power plants), digital infrastructure (undersea cables), and sustainable and resilient transport infrastructure (airports, railways, seaports) that strengthen economic integration, competitiveness, and global supply chains.
However, measures need to be put in place to secure these investments abroad. An attack on critical infrastructure abroad can have staggering costs to European companies. In addition, even if foreign infrastructure is not operated by a European company, there can be a very strong indirect impact on the EU economy. Shipments and imports of energy goods can be cut off and prices can quickly soar, impacting the European consumers.
To secure these investments, it is necessary to remedy persistent challenges to infrastructure protection, such as the existence of wide variety of regulations and standards, increased focus on such infrastructure by terrorist groups, the rise of professional cybercriminals, or the lack of software with satisfactory standards.
To better understand how to secure the investments and protect critical infrastructures, address current challenges, share best practices, and explore potential partnerships, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) organized a dedicated meeting with various European Commission services in Brussels.
Over 70 participants attended this hybrid event, including experts from the Directorate-Generals for Migration and Home Affairs, International Partnerships, Mobility and Transport, Neighborhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Taxation and Customs Union, Trade, Energy, the Foreign Policy Instrument, and the European External Action Service, as well as representatives from UNODC and the International Emergency Management Society.
