1. Chemical, biological and nuclear threats: are we prepared?
Hearings by Bruno Dupré before the UN General Assembly and before the
European Parliament Security and Defence Committee
(13.10.16)
"Mr. Chair, Ministers, Ambassadors, Distinguished Members, dear Colleagues,
Let me first extend my gratitude to this Committee and to you Mr. Chair, for giving
the European Diplomatic Service (EEAS) an opportunity to talk about chemical,
biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives (so called CBRN-E), a challenge
for the security of the EU.
I will tell you; 1/ what the risks are; 2/ how well prepared the international
community is and; 3/ what measures the EU is taking for improving prevention and
responsein this sensitive field.
1/ What the risks are
The EU is deeply concerned by four major security challenges that all present an
strong probability of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear involvement:
- Climate change;
- Terrorism;
- Energy security;
- Advanced bio technologies.
Individually, each of these topics encompasses clear CBRN risks and threats. But
combined together, these security factors may become devastating. Let us imagine,
for instance, a bio terrorist attack in a region deeply affected by climate change and
by poorcondition of living. No one is able, today, to predict the damaging effects
of a bio criminal act. One thing is sure, though. It will not be circumscribed to one
nation or even to one region. Protecting EU territory, population and troops, at
home and abroad, from CBRN threats is essential.

2. 2/ How well prepared the international community is
The way the international community handled Ebola, Fukushima or chemical
weapons in Syria or in Libya has led many experts to the following conclusions: no
nation, be it in developing regions or in the Western hemisphere, is entirely
prepared today to respond efficiently to those threats.
Four lessons were drawn from these CBRN crises:
- Populations are often ill informed about CBRN risks and emergency procedures;
- Critical infrastructures are not sufficiently protected against CBRN risks, in
particular against biological and chemical threats;
- First responders, law enforcement and health communities, often lack specific
training and adequate coordination among them, in time of crisis;
- Finally, and it should come on top of the other lessons, political awareness of
leaders could be improved.
Let us be honest. These four lessons should not come as a surprise. This is what
happens to most of low probability-high consequenceevents.
3/ The EU answer
Recognizing the damaging effects of being insufficiently prepared for such events,
the EU has decided to take responsibility and act at two levels:
Strategically:
- WMD and CBRN are part of the Global Strategy implementation which will
define for the years to come EU political priorities;
- The EU Commission is currently preparing a Communication on CBRN which
will be adopted by the end of 2016. This Communication will be followed by
Action Plans on prevention, detection and response;
- A NATO-EU statement was adopted by the Heads of State in Warsaw in July
2016 (Statement on Resilience) which explicitly refers to CBRN and cyber as
major hybrid threats.

3. Operationally:
- The EU will spent 500 million euros (2010-2020) on developing, inside and
outside Europe, a culture of safety and security on CBRN. The EEAS has created
the concept, implemented by the Commission, of EU Centres of Excellence. Let me
give you some important facts to put things in perspective. These centres have been
developed in 55 countries, and in 8 regions, 5 of which are in EU close
neighbourhood. 20 National CBRN Actions Plans have been adopted by those
countries. 80 % of the EU funds for CBRN assistance come back to EU Member
States since they are having the CBRN expertise. We will not stop there. We will
expand the initiative tomorrow by continuing to reach out to countries like Iran,
Pakistan, Egypt and Israël as they have shown interest in the CoE initiative. Only
international cooperation can bring solutions to a civil protection issue that knows
no frontier and requires international solidarity.
Talking about international partnership, let me finish on an industrial note. Public-
Private Partnership will be a prerequisite in the years to come to improve
coordination between the public and private sector, in particular in the research
domain. We therefore encourage chemical, pharmaceutical and nuclear industries
to participate further to the global EU Centres of Excellence network.
Our regional approachhas been noticed and welcomed by the UN Security
Council, by NATO, the G7 and by the United States, a strong CBRN partner. The
EU Court of Auditors confirmed that the EU approachis sound and has brought
concrete impact in reinforcing our first line of defence abroad. A UN Group of
Friends of CBRN mentioned during the 71st UNGA that they are planning a UN
resolution on CBRN for next year, not only to raise political awareness of this
sensitive issue but also to commend the EU method and proposeit for other threats
such as cyber and CT.
EEAS priority right now is to strengthen further our coordination with the
Commission, in particular with HOME, DEVCO, ECHO, SANCO, in order to
develop synergies between our external and internal policy on CBRN so that they
mirror each other for a stronger resilience. As we know, the CBRN risks and threat
are not going away. We need to be prepared together with EU Member States.

4. 4/ Conclusion:Is the EU citizen better protectedtoday than yesterday?
The CBRN risks and threats, coming from inside and from outside Europe, are
increasing and are more complex to apprehend today, given the combination they
could take: for instance, natural disasters exploited for terrorism purposes (i.e.
Ebola), conventional terrorism on chemical sites, criminal contamination of water
in developing countries. The combinations are many and make it more difficult for
first responders, law enforcement and health communities to act on time.
However, the EU and EU MS are actively working together, and with their
strategic partners, to strengthen further their coordination for stronger prevention
and respond mechanisms.
Thank you Mr Chair."
Bruno Dupré