UK Office for Security & Counter Terrorism Future threats and the potential role of the CBRN Action plan in supporting the BTWC Dr Catherine Terry International and Intelligence Coordinator PROTECT

Terrorist Future Biological Threat  Biological terrorist threats to the UK and the UK response to the risks posed is regularly reviewed and re-assessed  Current terrorist future threat:  Access to technology  Access to materials  Access to capability  EU Action plan  Broad actions  No limit to threats

 Improve the security of dangerous substances that may be targeted or used by terrorists  Provision for future threat:  the Act lists the biological pathogens and toxins and covers both human and animal pathogens and not only the wild-type or ‘intact’ micro-organisms and toxins  BUT also genetic sequences derived from or coding for such substances Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act (ATCSA) 2001

EU ACTION PLAN Objectives  All-hazard approach to reduce the threat of and damage from CBRN incidents of accidental, natural or intentional origin, including acts of terrorism  EU needed to pool efforts together since terrorist incidents and accidents do not respect borders  Allows for a combination of regulation and voluntary measures according to Member States preferred approach  Draw upon existing work in other international organisations:  greatest CBRN risks stem from proliferation, the most important measures concern strengthening of non-proliferation regimes  Universal, full implementation of relevant treaties and international agreements

EU ACTION PLAN  Aims to increase  the effectiveness and speed of information sharing  analytical reporting at all stages  joint planning  the development of operational procedures  operational exercises  the cost-effective pooling of existing resources

EU ACTION PLAN  Comprehensive and ambitious in scope  Opportunity to enhance the capabilities and resilience of Member States: sharing of best practice, common methodology, enhance security culture and, adequate perception of risk.  124 actions:  67 Horizontal actions covering CBRN materials  17 Biological specific  Activities  Prevention  Detection  Prepare and respond

EU Biological Threat List  Establish a list of high risk biological agents and toxins, considering:  Potential for malicious use  Most dangerous  Vulnerability to theft or loss  Methodology  Based upon Member states threat assessment  Methodology to be assessed  Future threat consideration  To be reviewed annually  Actions not restricted to the threat list

Prevention actions  Enhance security of high risk materials and facilities  Criteria for assessing security arrangements  Definition of security responsibilities: operator & state  Implementation of procedures “at the lab bench”  Registry of facilities  Verify security arrangements  Review requirement for holding material  Good practice for handling materials  National authorisation or accreditation process with regulations and standards

Prevention actions  Development of a high security culture of staff  Good practice in security training and education  Minimum security training requirements  Training programmes for private security staff  Raise awareness of security issues  Adoption of codes of conduct for those working on bio-issues  Requirements for bio safety officers

Prevention actions  Improve identification and reporting of suspicious transactions and behaviour  Enhance security of transport  Improve information exchange  Threat levels  Loss and theft of material

Detection actions  Develop detection models considering: distribution, vectors, infectious dose and stability   Establish trialling, testing and certification schemes for CBRN detection in the EU  Develop minimum detection standards  Reference materials for bio agents  Good practice for detection, awareness raising and training  Improve information exchange  Background levels  Good practice exchange on cases and processes

Prepare and Respond Actions  Improve emergency planning  Strengthen countermeasure capacity  Improve domestic and international information flow regarding CBRN incidents  Strengthen decontamination and remediation capability  Improve capacity to conduct criminal investigations

Cross cutting actions  Enhance international cooperation  Improve communication with the public  Improve information tools for CBRN security  Improve training  Strengthen personnel security  Strengthen and prioritise research  Ensure criminali sation of CBRN terrorism

EU Parliament Proposal  Strengthening the action plan  Some MS already had good CBRN capabilities and set up but in other MS, there was have nothing in place at all  Ensure all MS are addressing prevention, detection and response  Resist pressure from industries to avoid regulation, with regard to dual use materials  Monitor transactions in CBRN materials, and on non-proliferation of these materials (import-export regimes)  stocks of vaccines in case of biological attacks, in line with the size of the threat  greater CBRN coordination between military, law enforcement, health care and civil protection officials

 Proposal to regulate and monitor transactions:  Consider burdens upon business, in proportion to the threat.  Not simply promote self-regulation among the industries concerned, and not merely advise the industries to adopt codes of conduct  guidelines and regulations applicable to all sectors dealing with high-risk CBRN agents  We have found in the UK self regulation and codes of conduct to be an effective means of preventing terrorist access to high risk materials  EU regulation of security arrangements and requirements at high-risk CBRN facilities throughout the EU  consistent and appropriate security arrangements at such facilities, in proportion to the threat with consideration of the cost and impact Future considerations