Public Safety and Security

The government's security policy is implemented through the Civil Protection and Security Council. The principal objectives of security policy are to ensure the safety, environment and property of the general public and to co-ordinate preventive actions and response to catastrophes of any sort. Security is a basic concern of society, which the state and other public bodies seek to ensure, including the safety of individuals and social groups, protection of human rights, identities, values and core institutions, such as important social infrastructure.

Safeguarding of human rights and security of citizens before the law, together with administrative, economic and cultural stability are among the core values upon which civil and national security is based, cf. Art. 3 of the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person

The security challenges faced are constantly changing. These include, for instance, natural catastrophes, epidemics, terrorist actions, international organised crime, environmental threats of various types, the risk of pandemics, risk of nuclear accidents, proliferation of nuclear and chemical weapons, disruption or destruction of the country's infrastructure, such as computer, telecommunication, energy and financial systems, clashes between cultures etc. Globalisation and rapid technological advances present new challenges which the Icelandic government must take into consideration in its efforts to ensure the security of individuals and the society.