Cross-Sectoral Scanning of Critical Infrastructures: from Functional Differences to Policy-Relevant Similarities

Abstract

The process of shaping an integral critical infrastructure protection policy has turned out to be very demanding due to the growing network complexity of critical infrastructures and deep institutional and policy fragmentation. We argue in this paper that knowing the cross-sectoral similarities among functionally different sectors of critical infrastructures can improve the integral approach. The results of our comparative expert-based cross-sectoral scanning of critical infrastructures in the case of an EU member state confirm the cross-sectoral convergence of several variables. Successful integral and cross-sectoral policy will need to focus on joint threats and risks, objects with similar functions across sectors, as well as multicritical areas, objects and links, including immaterial links. Asymmetric cross-sectoral attention should also focus on those groups of infrastructures with an instant crisis impact on society, groups of the most influential and most sensitive infrastructures according to their network position, and on managing jointly expected cross-border cross-sectoral effects.