Minister of Communications and Works Erato Kozakou Markoullis represented Cyprus at an EU Telecommunications Council in Brussels Friday, where she raised the issue of interference from the Turkish occupied areas in the coordination of Cyprus radio spectrum. The Council adopted a regulation extending the current mandate of the European Network and Information Security Agency for another 18 months, until 13 September 2013.

In addition, ministers held an exchange of views on critical information infrastructure protection and adopted conclusions on this topic. The Council adopted a rule concerning the creation and the function of the European Network and Information Security Agency (ENISA) stationed in Crete. Markoullis praised the role which ENISA plays and underlined the need of a permanent function and expansion of its responsibilities to respond effectively in the sensitive issue of network and information security.

The Cypriot Minister in her intervention referred to the serious problems regarding the coordination of the radio spectrum Cyprus faces due to the illegal interference from the Turkish occupied areas of the island. Markoullis expressed her appreciation to the Presidency and the Council for the satisfactory approach to the issue in its draft conclusion. The Cypriot Minister also referred to the need of coordination on various acts on a national, European, and international level as well as to the need of continuous information of all users of modern technology and services.