OSCE launches new technical guide on enhancing critical infrastructure physical security from terrorist attacks

On 4 November, the OSCE Transnational Threats Department launched the Technical Guide on Physical Security Considerations for Protecting Critical Infrastructure against Terrorist Attacks and accompanying multilingual factsheets. The Guide is designed to support participating State policymakers, critical infrastructure owners and operators, and private security stakeholders in setting up effective security systems for their critical infrastructure sites and facilities, based on their unique risk profile.

Available in English and Russian, the Guide provides practices, principles and considerations that can enhance the physical security of critical infrastructure sites across the OSCE area. It covers a range of policy-level approaches taken by participating States as well as technical measures including intrusion detection systems, security lighting, video surveillance, perimeter protection, access control, insider threat management, hostile vehicle mitigation and more.

Rather than focusing on a single approach to physical security, the Guide presents a range of publicly available practices that reflects the diverse approaches that currently exist. Most of the practices cited throughout the publication derive from the OSCE participating States. This showcases the vast knowledge present across the OSCE area, as well as consolidates these practices in one place for ease of use and the benefit of all.

The publication was officially launched in Vienna on 4 November on the margins of a joint meeting of the OSCE Security Committee and OSCE Economic and Environment Committee chaired by the United Kingdom and Slovenia, respectively. The meeting focused on ‘Critical Infrastructure and Vulnerable Targets: Protection and Resilience’.

“Modern societies are dependent on critical infrastructure systems to provide essential services that support lives and livelihoods. Terrorism remains an ever-present threat for all of us,” said Ambassador Neil Holland, Head of the United Kingdom Delegation to the OSCE in Vienna, during his opening remarks. “The OSCE can and does play an important role in supporting our policymakers back in our home countries and regionally, as they work to prevent, prepare for and mitigate terrorist attacks on critical infrastructure.”

Speaking about the Guide’s creation under the OSCE’s Project PROTECT, Ambassador Susanne Schütz from the German Permanent Mission to the OSCE, said, “Threats to critical infrastructure are evolving. Terrorists and violent non-state actors deliberately target it to cause panic, harm civilians and draw attention to their causes. Germany is pleased to be one of Project PROTECT’s core donors. It has been a joy to watch the Project grow from 2023, with a measurable impact across the OSCE area. This event is a major piece of that impact: we are delighted to see the OSCE Transnational Threats Department release this pragmatic and practical Guide.”

The Guide is the result of two years of work as part of Project PROTECT’s efforts to enhance national approaches across the OSCE area on the protection of vulnerable targets from terrorist threats and other hazards.

Through the project, the Guide will also form the foundation of several new training courses. It has already been piloted as a teaching aid at training courses held in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

Project PROTECT is funded by Germany and the United States Bureau of Counterterrorism.

For more information, please contact: atu@osce.org