As the distribution centres have not been affected by the problems hitting the refrigeration and freezer systems of several Belgian and international supermarkets, there are no widespread supply issues, Belgian interior minister Bernard Quintin (Francophone liberal MR) notes.
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Cyberattack on supermarkets: ‘No supply issues’, says Minister Quintin
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The exact cause of the disruption has yet to be determined, and no possibility is being ruled out, including a cyberattack, the minister added on Monday.
“The incidents are limited to the refrigeration systems of certain shops (...) They highlight the need for IT systems to be better protected and for the sector to become more resilient to cyber threats,” Quintin said.
On the legislative front, Belgium had already strengthened its legislation last December with the adoption of the European CER Directive (Critical Entities Resilience) into Belgian law. “This legislation aims to strengthen the resilience of critical entities against all risks and now also covers the food sector, from production right through to distribution.”
Minister Quintin will soon be meeting with the Belgian trade and service sector federation Comeos to discuss what measures are needed to strengthen the protection of Belgian infrastructure and the continuity of essential services.