Council of the European Union
General Secretariat
Directorate-General Communication and Information - COMM
Directorate Information and Outreach
Information Services Unit / Transparency
Head of Unit
Brussels, 21 October 2024
Mr Stefan Soesanto
Email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
Ref. 24/2522
Request made on: 28.09.2024
Registered on:
30.09.2024
Dear Mr Soesanto,
Thank you for your request for access to documents of the Council of the European Union.1
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I regret to inform you that access to document
ST 13928/24 cannot be given for the reasons set
out below.
The requested document, drawn up by the European External Action Service (EEAS) for the
Political and Security Commit ee, contains a concept Note on the establishment of an EU Cyber
Defence Coordination Centre (EU CDCC).2
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It illustrates a proposed military centre as announced in the EU Policy on Cyber Defence3,
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providing detailed insights into current and future military capabilities both at EU and Member
States level. In this context, it identifies key challenges to address in the current military cyber
ecosystem and elaborates on possible main tasks, scope and functional areas, beneficiaries, costs
and modus operandi of the proposed Coordination Centre.
1
The General Secretariat of the Council has examined your request on the basis of the applicable rules:
Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council regarding public access to
European Parliament, Council and Commission documents (OJ L 145, 31.5.2001, p. 43) and the specific
provisions concerning public access to Council documents set out in Annex II to the Council's Rules of Procedure
(Council Decision No 2009/937/EU, OJ L 325, 11.12.2009, p. 35).
2
See on this topic point 25 of docum
ent ST 9225/24 - Council Conclusions on EU Security and Defence, approved
by the Council at its meeting held on 27 May 2024 – accessible in the public register of Council documents.
3
See docum
ent ST 15721/22, Joint Communication – accessible in the public register of Council documents.
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 - B-1048 Bruxelles/Brussel - Belgique/België
Tel. +32 (0)2 281 67 10 - www.consilium.europa.eu - xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx.xx
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Given the confidential nature of its contents, and in the light of our consultations, the General
Secretariat is of the opinion that the disclosure of this document would reveal sensitive information
that could be used by hostile (state and/or non-state) entities to acknowledge challenging areas in
this field and plan and carry our activities that would undermine the EU’s strategies in this field,
causing prejudice to public interest as regards public security and defence and military matters.
Consequently, public access to this document must be refused.4
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We have also looked into the possibility of releasing parts of the requested document.5 However,
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as the information contained therein forms an inseparable whole, and since the abovementioned
exceptions apply to its entire contents, the General Secretariat is unable to give partial access.
Pursuant to Article 7(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001, you may ask the Council to review this
decision within 15 working days of receiving this reply. Should you see the need for such a review,
you are invited to indicate the reasons thereof.
Yours sincerely,
Fernando FLORINDO
4
Article 4(1)(a), first and second indent of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001.
5
Article 4(6) of Regulation (EC) No 1049/2001.
Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 - B-1048 Bruxelles/Brussel - Belgique/België
Tel. +32 (0)2 281 67 10 - www.consilium.europa.eu - xxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxxxxx.xx
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Document Outline
