Government Centre for Security

The mission of the Government Centre for Security is to support the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers in crisis management and to build resilience among the state and its citizens against threats.

The Government Centre for Security (RCB) ensures the flow of information throughout the public administration (ministries, offices, and services), promoting awareness in crisis management and threat response.

The primary tasks of the RCB include:

• Supporting the Government Crisis Management Team (RZZK) - This inter-ministerial advisory team initiates and coordinates crisis management actions. The Prime Minister chairs the RZZK, with the RCB director serving as secretary.
• Monitoring and analyzing threats - Based on data from all crisis centers within public administration, the RCB assesses potential threats.
• Providing 24/7 duty service - The National Crisis Management Center ensures the continuous flow of information. In the event of a threat, it activates crisis management procedures and distributes alerts from NATO, the EU, and the UN.
• Issuing threat warnings - The RCB ALERT system, along with updates on social media (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram), large-format screens, and mass media, disseminates alerts.
• Overseeing critical infrastructure protection - The RCB supervises both national and European critical infrastructure.
• Developing plans, reports, analyses, and recommendations - The RCB produces assessments and forecasts on national security threats and crisis situations.
• Creating the National Crisis Management Plan - This plan sets the framework for civil planning at central and regional levels.
• Producing the National Threat Report - This report provides a risk assessment and disaster risk reduction strategy.
• Maintaining defense readiness - The RCB is always on standby to support national defense readiness.

Additional tasks include:

• Countering cybersecurity incidents within the Critical Incidents Team (ZIK).
• Organizing and participating in crisis management and communication training (e.g., Crisis Management Exercise, Integrated Resolve, LIBERO).
• Facilitating classified and unclassified information flow between national crisis management entities and NATO/EU structures. The RCB administers the OPAL Classified Internet Mail System, which includes over two hundred entities involved in crisis management and defense.
• Monitoring and analyzing hybrid threats - The RCB assesses evolving threats to national security.
• Serving as the national contact point for the UN’s Sendai Framework (2015-2030), focusing on disaster risk reduction.
• Carrying out other tasks assigned by the Prime Minister - These have included relocating Afghan citizens who worked with NATO and the UN, vaccinating NATO Headquarters staff and OSCE observers, and assisting Slovak and Romanian health services in combatting COVID-19.

The Government Centre for Security (RCB) prepares the National Critical Infrastructure Protection Program (NPOIK) and collaborates with critical infrastructure operators and public administration.

Based on specific criteria (classified as an appendix to the NPOIK), the RCB director, in cooperation with relevant ministers responsible for critical infrastructure systems, compiles a unified list of facilities, installations, equipment, and services that make up critical infrastructure, organized by system.

This list includes both European critical infrastructure located within Poland and European critical infrastructure in other EU member states that may significantly impact Poland. The list remains classified. Operators of listed facilities are required to develop a Critical Infrastructure Protection Plan, which must be approved by the RCB Director.

Regarding European critical infrastructure, the RCB serves as the national contact point (Critical Infrastructure Protection Point of Contact – CIP PoC), facilitating information exchange with counterparts in other EU member states and the European Commission. To raise awareness of threats and protective measures, the RCB organizes the National Critical Infrastructure Protection Forum. In addition, ministers responsible for specific critical infrastructure systems hold system-specific forums, and regional governors organize regional forums. The RCB also conducts critical infrastructure security analyses and provides guidelines and manuals for critical infrastructure operators.

RCB representatives participate in NATO working groups and teams focused on critical infrastructure.

The RCB fulfills planning and programmatic tasks in critical infrastructure protection, supporting infrastructure operators in ensuring the continuity of services essential to national security.

The Government Centre for Security (GCS) carries out a range of tasks related to international security, collaborating with:

• The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO);
• The United Nations (UN);
• The European Commission;
• The Visegrad Group (V4);
• The Lublin Triangle;
• The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD);
• The Network of Directors-General of EU Crisis Management Centers;
• The Council of the Baltic Sea States;
• The Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection;
• The United Kingdom’s Cabinet Office;
• The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine;
• Copernicus Security.

The institution serves as a national contact point for:

• NATO Response System (NRS);
• NATO/EU critical infrastructure;
• NATO Resilience Committee (RC) and its planning groups, acting as the leading body in the Civil Protection Group (CPG);
• The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030 (UN);
• The OECD High Level Risk Forum;
• The EU Integrated Political Crisis Response (IPCR) Mechanism;
• The EU Ad hoc Working Party on preparedness, response capability, and resilience to future crises (AHWP Resilience);
• Copernicus Security;
• The Ukrainian incident response system in the information sphere.

The Government Centre for Security (RCB) runs a series of educational campaigns aimed at raising awareness of contemporary threats and promoting exemplary behavior patterns. The most important campaigns include:

• Guides on Safe Behaviors – such as guides on "Storm," "Winter," "Wind," "Carbon Monoxide," "Water," and "Flood."
• "Be Prepared" Guide – addressing threats related to the outbreak of crisis and war.
• RCB Safety Academy – a series of films covering topics such as disinformation and crisis preparedness.
• Infographics – simple graphics primarily promoted on social media, focusing on topics such as floods, smog, heatwaves, storms, terrorism, carbon monoxide, and water safety.
• "React, Time is Running Out" – a campaign co-created with PKP Intercity.
• Public Information Campaigns – addressing cybersecurity threats.