It’s time to move beyond discussions of strategic partnership to set things in motion, such as a cyber security working group, according to the president of the European Council following the European Union-United States (EU-U.S.) Summit.
Cyber security is a threat with a large impact and EU-U.S. cooperation can contribute to protection, Herman Van Rompuy said in a Nov. 20 statement.
“I am, therefore, happy to announce that the EU and the US will enhance their cooperation, by creating a EU-U.S. Working Group on Cyber security,” he said following the summit and the NATO summit. “The Working Group will report progress within a year.”
Additionally, Van Rompuy said, “speedy compromise on a comprehensive EU-U.S. data protection agreement will significantly facilitate all negotiations between the EU and U.S. on Passenger Name Records, cyber security, fight against terrorism and transnational organized crime.”
Cyber security is also a concern raised at the NATO summit in Lisbon, and cited as a needed new capability in the newly-adopted Strategic Concept, welcomed by the E.U.
“We share the same vision on the future of security,” Van Rompuy said of the EU and U.S. “Both our societies are built on the free flow of people, goods and information. The networks these flows require face threats of a new kind.”
On foreign policy, Van Rompuy said Iran’s nuclear program remains a grave concern. “I recalled to President Obama the EU’s restrictive measures on Iran adopted in June. Without our working together, the sanctions would be inoperative. I also informed the president that we believe we now have a very good chance to engage Iran in direct talks.”
On his meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, Van Rompuy said: “We saw eye to eye.”