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Open ↗eli-container"> DECISION OF THE HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY of 17 February 2026 on replacing Appendix B to Decision ADMIN(2023) 18 of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 19 June 2023 on the security rules for the European External Action Service ADMIN/2026/5 (C/2026/1696) THE HIGH REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNION FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND SECURITY POLICY, Having regard to the Council Decision 2010/427/EU of 26 July 2010 establishing the organisation and functioning of the European External Action Service ( 1 ) , and in particular Article 10(1) thereof, Whereas: (1) Appendix B to the Decision of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 19 June 2023 on the security rules for the European External Action Service ( 2 ) (Decision ADMIN(2023)18, hereinafter the ‘EEAS Security Rules’) contains a table setting out the equivalence of security classifications of the EU, Euratom and EU Member States. (2) On 14 April 2025, Belgium notified the General Secretariat of the Council of changes to its security classifications. Those changes introduce a fourth Belgian classification level ‘RESTREINT (Loi 11.12.1998) – BEPERKT (Wet 11.12.1998)’. (3) On 18 July 2025, the Council adopted Council Decision (EU) 2025/1540 of 18 July 2025 amending Decision 2013/488/EU on the security rules for protecting EU classified information ( 3 ) by which the Council replaced, among others, the table of equivalence of security classifications annexed to Council Decision 2013/488/EU ( 4 ) . (4) In order to take account of the changes in the Belgian rules on security classifications and to ensure coherence of the EEAS Security Rules with the security classifications applied by the Council, Appendix B to the EEAS Security Rules should be replaced by a new text. (5) Pursuant to Article 15(4)(a) of the EEAS Security Rules, the EEAS Security Committee has been consulted on 16 January 2026, HAS DECIDED AS FOLLOWS: Sole Article Appendix B to the Decision ADMIN(2023) 18 of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of 19 June 2023 on the security rules for the European External Action Service is replaced by the text appearing in Annex I to this Decision. The Decision shall enter into force on the day following its signature. Done at Brussels, 17 February 2026. Kaja KALLAS High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy ( 1 ) OJ L 201, 3.8.2010, p. 30 , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2010/427/oj . ( 2 ) OJ C 263, 26.7.2023, p. 16 . ( 3 ) OJ L, 2025/1540, 25.7.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2025/1540/oj . ( 4 ) Council Decision 2013/488/EU of 23 September 2013 on the security rules for protecting EU classified information ( OJ L 274, 15.10.2013, p. 1 , ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dec/2013/488/oj ). ANNEX I ‘Appendix B Equivalence of security classification EU TRES SECRET UE/EU TOP SECRET SECRET UE/EU SECRET CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED Euratom EURA TOP SECRET EURA SECRET EURA CONFIDENTIAL EURA RESTRICTED Belgium Très Secret (Loi 11.12.1998) Zeer Geheim (Wet 11.12.1998) Secret (Loi 11.12.1998) Geheim (Wet 11.12.1998) Confidentiel (Loi 11.12.1998) Vertrouwelijk (Wet 11.12.1998) RESTREINT (Loi 11.12.1998) BEPERKT (Wet 11.12.1998) Bulgaria Cтpoгo ceкретно Ceкретно Поверително За служебно ползване Czech Republic Přísně tajné Tajné Důvěrné Vyhrazené Denmark YDERST HEMMELIGT HEMMELIGT FORTROLIGT TIL TJENESTEBRUG Germany STRENG GEHEIM GEHEIM VS ( 1 ) – VERTRAULICH VS – NUR FÜR DEN DIENSTGEBRAUCH Estonia Täiesti salajane Salajane Konfidentsiaalne Piiratud Ireland Top Secret Secret Confidential Restricted Greece Άκρως Απόρρητο Abr: ΑΑΠ Απόρρητο Abr: (ΑΠ) Εμπιστευτικό Αbr: (ΕΜ) Περιορισμένης Χρήσης Abr: (ΠΧ) Spain SECRETO RESERVADO CONFIDENCIAL DIFUSIÓN LIMITADA France TRÈS SECRET TRÈS SECRET DÉFENSE ( 2 ) SECRET SECRET DÉFENSE ( 2 ) CONFIDENTIEL DÉFENSE ( 2 ) ( 3 ) Nota ( 4 ) below Croatia VRLO TAJNO TAJNO POVJERLJIVO OGRANIČENO Italy Segretissimo Segreto Riservatissimo Riservato Cyprus Άκρως Απόρρητο Αbr: (AΑΠ) Απόρρητο Αbr: (ΑΠ) Εμπιστευτικό Αbr: (ΕΜ) Περιορισμένης Χρήσης Αbr: (ΠΧ) Latvia Sevišķi slepeni Slepeni Konfidenciāli Dienesta vajadzībām Lithuania Visiškai slaptai Slaptai Konfidencialiai Riboto naudojimo Luxembourg Très Secret Lux Secret Lux Confidentiel Lux Restreint Lux Hungary “Szigorúan titkos!” “Titkos!” “Bizalmas!” “Korlátozott terjesztésű!” Malta L-Ogħla Segretezza Top Secret Sigriet Secret Kunfidenzjali Confidential Ristrett Restricted ( 5 ) Netherlands Stg. ZEER GEHEIM Stg. GEHEIM Stg. CONFIDENTIEEL Dep. VERTROUWELIJK Austria Streng Geheim Geheim Vertraulich Eingeschränkt Poland Ściśle Tajne Tajne Poufne Zastrzeżone Portugal Muito Secreto Secreto Confidencial Reservado Romania Strict secret de importanță deosebită Strict secret Secret Secret de serviciu Slovenia STROGO TAJNO TAJNO ZAUPNO INTERNO Slovakia Prísne tajné Tajné Dôverné Vyhradené Finland ERITTÄIN SALAINEN YTTERST HEMLIG SALAINEN HEMLIG LUOTTAMUKSELLINEN KONFIDENTIELL KÄYTTÖ RAJOITETTU BEGRÄNSAD TILLGÅNG Sweden Kvaliciferat hemlig Hemlig Konfidentiell Begränsat hemlig ’ ( 1 ) Germany: VS = Verschlusssache. ( 2 ) Information generated by France before 1 July 2021 and classified “TRÈS SECRET DÉFENSE”, “SECRET DÉFENSE” and “CONFIDENTIEL DÉFENSE” continue to be handled and protected at the equivalent level of “TRÈS SECRET UE/EU TOP SECRET”, “SECRET UE/EU SECRET” and “CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL” respectively. ( 3 ) France handles and protects “CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL” information in accordance with the French security measures for protecting “SECRET” information. ( 4 ) France does not use the classification “RESTREINT” in its national system. France handles and protects “RESTREINT UE/EU RESTRICTED” information in a manner no less stringent than the standards and procedures described in the security rules of the Council of the European Union. ( 5 ) The Maltese and English markings for Malta can be used interchangeably. ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2026/1696/oj ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)