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Green Paper on Bio-Preparedness
Date: July 11,
2007
Author: Commission of the European Communities
Institution: EU
Bibliographic Entry: Commission of the European Communities (2007). “Green Paper on Bio-Preparedness.” European Union: Brussels. (Accessed on July 26, 2007 at http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2007/com2007_0399en01.pdf).
Electronic Link:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/site/en/com/2007/com2007_0399en01.pdf
Key Words: biological weapon, terrorism, public safety, risk prevention, justice, bio-security, bio-research, Europe, European Union, 1972 Biological and Toxins Weapons convention
Summary of Key Points, Issues, Conclusions:
Released on July 11th, the "Green Paper on Bio-preparedness" by the European Commission consists of 17 pages categorized into five broad topics for review by Europe's bio-security stakeholders. Topics range from the standards of bio-hazard prevention and protection to security issues associated with biological research and technologies. The Green Paper’s intentions are to spark a debate that leads to the reduction of biological risks and increase of preparedness. The Commission employs the term "preparedness" when addressing a spectrum of threats ranging from food supply contamination to deliberate biological warfare.
The report recommends certain minimum security standards and procedures that they expect to be implemented across the EU:
- European guidelines governing the physical protection, access control and accounting of stocks of dangerous pathogens
- A common list of identified bio-agents susceptible to terrorist misuse
- Standardized rules for national certification of research facilities and the credentials of personnel
- Stakeholder-generated reports on life science work that involves hazardous bio-agents
- National security background checks on scientists and technicians handling any material on the above-mentioned bio-agent list.
The Green Paper also generates questions to be discussed by stakeholders concerning the development of a European analytical capacity for reducing biological risks, security issues related to research and a professional code of conduct.
Name of Researcher: Tara Stockberger
Institution: Integrative Center for Homeland Security, Texas A&M University
Date: August 6, 2007