The EPCIP came about as a result of a consultation in 2004 by the European Council, seeking a programme to protect critical infrastructure through its 'Communication on Critical Infrastructure Protection in the Fight against Terrorism'. In December 2004 it endorsed the intention of the European Commission to propose a European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection (EPCIP) and agreed to the creation of a European Critical Infrastructure Warning Information Network (CIWIN). In December the European Commission issued its finalised design as a directive EU COM(2006) 786; this obliged all member states to adopt the components of the EPCIP into their national statutes.