Airstrip One

EU Security Chiefs

The European Commission has named the civil servants who will head their Directorate on Security.

A European Commission document circulated among Brussels-based transport lobbyists, syas that Jean trestour will temporarily head the Directorate on Security. Mr Trestour is the current head of unit on Shipping Policy. Mr Trestour will combine this assignment with the position of head of unit on "Security Conception, Planning and Analyses". it is expected that a permanent director will be appointed within two months, and will come from one of the new EU member States.

Another key figure in the new security directorate is Wolfgang Elsner, currently head of unit on Ports Policy and Short Sea Shipping. Mr Elsner will lead the unit dealing with Transport of Dangerous Cargo and Intermodal Security.

These details were taken froma recent edition of Lloyds List (no link). Details on Jean Trestour can be tracked through the European Transport Forum and as head of the Galileo Unit in 2000.

In this instance, the European Commission has ensured that the issue of domestic security at a European level is controlled and directed by civil servants with experience in constructing their own intelligence apparatus. Worrying.

(23.05, 6th May 2004)