Chapter 10: International organizations

10.2.1 North Atlantic Treaty Organization cooperative program with non-North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies

Contractors participating in a multinational cooperative program involving NATO member nations and non-NATO member nations, or who are required to share NATO classified information with a non-NATO member during a contract must contact the Canadian DSA by email at dgsssiprojetintl-dobissintlproject@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca for further information. Organizations must also contact the Canadian DSA if they have security-related concerns in multinational cooperative programs.

10.2.2 North Atlantic Treaty Organization personnel security clearances

An employee granted a Canadian security clearance is not automatically cleared to access NATO classified information. A security briefing and a need to know are required for a NATO security clearance at the level of Control of Secret Material in an International Command (COSMIC) Top Secret^{Footnote 1}, NATO Secret, or NATO Confidential. Access to NATO Restricted information will also require a formal security briefing and need to know, but will otherwise be governed by contract security clauses. Access to NATO unclassified information will be governed by the contract security clauses.

In Canada, an individual with a NATO security clearance who needs access to other types of classified information must have their right of access confirmed. The company security officer (CSO) must contact the Canadian DSA by email at dgsssiprojetintl-dobissintlproject@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.cafor further guidance.

For a non-permanent resident of Canada, the NATO security clearance can only be granted by the parent nation, unless otherwise approved by both DSAs.

Organizations must maintain a separate record of all employees at the facility who are authorized to access NATO classified information. Only individuals having a need to know, who hold a security clearance at the appropriate level, and who have been security briefed on their responsibilities for the safeguarding of NATO classified information, and have acknowledged these responsibilities in writing may be permitted access to NATO classified information. The CSO must be briefed by the Canadian DSA and acknowledge in writing that they understand the terms and conditions for handling NATO classified information. Once CSOs accept their responsibilities, they can brief the employee using the DSA-approved form provided by the Canadian DSA on NATO requirements including:

• the meaning of the term NATO information
• the security markings on a document identifying it as the property of NATO. This marking will be on all copies of documents classified Restricted, Confidential or Secret that are circulated within NATO. The marking COSMIC Top Secret also signifies that the document is the property of NATO and is used exclusively on all copies of Top Secret documents circulated within NATO
• the safeguarding of NATO classified documents according to the requirements (Chapter 6: Handling and safeguarding information and assets) for handling Confidential, Secret and Top Secret material, and keeping it separate from other types of protected/classified/unclassified information. NATO Restricted and NATO unclassified documents must be handled and safeguarded according to the contract security clauses included in the contract.

The CSO and all employee signed acknowledgements must be returned to the Canadian DSA. 

Access to NATO Confidential information and above can only be granted to nationals of the 31 member countries, unless specific authorization is obtained by NATO through the Canadian DSA by email at by email at dgsssiprojetintl-dobissintlproject@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca. In Canada, the term “nationals” includes both citizens and permanent residents of Canada.

10.2.3 Facility security clearances

If an organization is required to safeguard NATO classified information, it must obtain a facility security clearance (FSC) at the level of NATO Confidential, NATO Secret or COSMIC Top Secret. See Chapter 3.2: Organization clearance for the requirements to obtain an FSC.

10.2.4 Handling classified North Atlantic Treaty Organization information

All classified NATO information received must be handled according to Chapter 6: Handling and safeguarding information and assets and with the following additional requirements:

• NATO Secret information and above must be recorded in a NATO register located at the organization’s facility
• when NATO classified material is received by the organization, the CSO or alternate company security officer (ACSO) must inform the Canadian DSA of its receipt
• NATO classified information must always be marked with appropriate NATO classification markings
• NATO classified information must always be returned to the Canadian DSA for destruction unless otherwise approved by the Canadian DSA
• when transmitting NATO classified information to another nation or international organization, organizations must contact the Canadian DSA by email at dgsssiprojetintl-dobissintlproject@tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca for guidance and approval, unless otherwise authorized by the Canadian DSA

10.2.5 Contracts

The security requirements for NATO classified contracts are documented in a NATO security aspects letter included with the contract.

Organizations must have authorization from both the contracting authority and the Canadian DSA before awarding a NATO classified subcontract to a Canadian or foreign contractor.

When contractors negotiate directly with foreign governments and/or organizations, any classified material to be transmitted outside of Canada must be forwarded through the Canadian DSA (Chapter 6.7: Packaging and transmitting).

In addition, all the requirements of personnel security clearances (Chapter 4.2: Personnel security screening), visit security clearances (Chapter 8: Visits to secure sites) and release of information to foreign entities (Chapter 9.3: Foreign disclosure) apply equally to NATO contracts.

10.2.6 Release of North Atlantic Treaty Organization classified information to contractors from non-North Atlantic Treaty Organization nations

In certain cases, NATO classified information may be shared with foreign contractors from a non-NATO member nation, either through a sub-contract or through the hiring of a non-NATO national. However, this cannot be done without the written consent of the originator of the NATO classified information and the Canadian DSA. Therefore, prior to sharing NATO classified with a foreign contractor, Canadian contractors must receive written authorization from the Canadian DSA.