Identification of Operators of Essential Services. Reference document on modalities of the consultation process in cases with cross-border impact

Summary:

This document provides Member States with guidelines for the assessment of the critical nature of the Operator of Essential Services (OES) in case the operator provides services in more than one Member State.

Further information:

The NIS Cooperation Group was established by the 2016 Directive on security of network and information systems (the NIS Directive) to ensure strategic cooperation and the exchange of information among Member States in cybersecurity.

In the context of Directive (EU) 2016/1148 (the NIS Directive), public and private entities providing services 'essential to the maintenance of critical societal and/or economic activities', these 'Operators of Essential Services' (OES) shall be identified by each Member State on its territory and comply with several binding provisions defined nationally.

Article 5(4) requires that Member States where an operator provides services shall engage in consultation with each other before those Member States take a decision on the identification of OES. The purpose of this consultation is to facilitate the assessment of the critical nature of the operator, by the involved Member States, in terms of cross-border impact.

European Commission: NIS Cooperation Group https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/nis-cooperation-group

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