Protecting Europe's Critical Infrastructures: Problems and Prospects

The European Union has become increasingly involved with protecting the security and safety of European citizens. The latest addition to this new policy space is critical infrastructure protection (CIP) at the EU level. A central role for the EU in guarding against infrastructural breakdowns and preparing for failures may seem self‐evident. In reality, the precise nature of such a role remains unclear. Moreover, enthusiastic rhetoric is not always matched by firm action. This article surveys what the EU has in place in terms of CIP and identifies outstanding issues for debate.