Annexes to COM(2007)511 - Public-Private Dialogue in Security Research and Innovation

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dossier COM(2007)511 - Public-Private Dialogue in Security Research and Innovation.
document COM(2007)511 EN
date September 11, 2007
agreement with the Member States and organised by its stakeholders.

It will have a single plenary with a balanced representation of all stakeholders in security research, from the public and private sectors, i.e. industry, research establishments, public and private end-users, civil society organisations, European institutions, in particular the European Parliament, and European organisations[13].

A number of working groups will be defined by the ESRIF after its constitution and will involve an estimated total of 200-300 contributors, with smaller ad-hoc groups to take forward particular activities;

A group may be created to accompany the process at political level at specific stages, in particular for the preparation of the final ESRIF report.

The European Security Research and Innovation Forum will have the aim of formulating an EU Joint Security Research Agenda, and following-up its implementation. It will also contribute to the European public debate on the issues of security, technology and innovation. |

6. CONCLUSIONS AND KEY ACTIONS

1. A solid public-private dialogue in the field of European security research and innovation is capital to ensuring mutual trust amongst all the relevant stakeholders. It would provide a sound basis for ensuring long term security solutions for the benefit of EU citizens.

The main instrument for achieving these objectives should be a forum for the development of a Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) in the area of EU security research and innovation, the ESRIF.

2. The ESRIF's inaugural meeting is planned for September 2007, and it is expected to be fully operational later in the year. It will be established for a limited period of time, i.e. until the end of 2009.

3. The Commission will participate actively in the proceedings of the Forum. The ESRIF will report on progress achieved in 2008, and the Commission will take stock of these first results and react with a Communication in the autumn of 2008.

4. The ESRIF is to present a Joint Security Research Agenda towards the end of 2009. It will contain, where appropriate, recommendations to public authorities.

5. The ESRIF is to become the first step in a Public-Private Dialogue process which is intended to link Security stakeholders in a more permanent and structured way.

ANNEX The Security theme under FP7 and security activities under the EU Framework Programme on ‘Security and Safeguarding Liberties’

1. In March 2004, the Commission launched a three-year “Preparatory Action” in the field of Security Research. With three annual budgets of € 15 million, the Preparatory Action was a first step towards the Security theme of FP7.

Participants included companies in the aerospace, information & communication technologies, system integrators and defence sectors. Under the Preparatory Action, 39 projects have been launched covering the areas of situation awareness, protection of networked systems, protection against terrorism, crisis management and interoperability of control and communications systems.

The Security theme in FP7 will develop the technologies for building capabilities needed to ensure the security of citizens from threats such as terrorism and crime, natural disasters and industrial accidents, while having due regard for fundamental human rights and societal aspects. It will also be an instrument to structure and coordinate European and national research efforts. Its budget is € 1.4 billion over seven years (2007-2013).

The Security theme work programme is based on the ESRAB report[14]. It is structured on the basis of four security missions of high political relevance which relate to specific security threats.

Missions:

1. Security of citizens

2. Security of infrastructures and utilities

3. Intelligence surveillance and border security

4. Restoring security and safety in a crisis

Three domains of cross-cutting interest were selected as well:

Cross cutting:

5. Security systems integration, interconnectivity and interoperability

6. Security and society

7. Security research coordination and structuring

The governance of the FP7 Security theme is organised in close cooperation between Member States' authorities and the Commission. On this basis, mutual information on national security research activities and results can be exchanged and common strategies developed.

2. The EU Framework Programme on ‘Security and Safeguarding Liberties’

AGIS (2003-2006) was set up to help legal practitioners, law enforcement officials and representatives of victim assistance services from the EU Member States and Candidate Countries to set up Europe-wide networks, as well as to exchange information and best practices. It also aimed at encouraging Member States to step up co-operation with applicant and third countries.

The EU Framework Programme on ‘Security and Safeguarding Liberties’ (2007-2013) consists of two financial instruments encompassing the following specific programmes: "Prevention of and Fight against Crime"[15] and "Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence management of Terrorism and other Security related risks"[16].

Budget 2007-2013

Total amount over the 2007-2013 period |

Framework programme: Security and safeguarding Liberties Including: | € 745.00 million |

- Specific programme: Prevention of and fight against crime | € 597.60 million |

- Specific programme: Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence Management of Terrorism and other Security related risks | € 137.40 million |

As a follow-up to AGIS, the framework programme is concerned with effective operational co-operation in the fight against, and prevention of, crime and terrorism.

The objectives of the Specific programme: Prevention of and fight against crime are:

8. to stimulate, promote and develop horizontal methods and tools necessary for strategically preventing and fighting crime and guaranteeing security and public order, such as the work carried out in the European Union Crime Prevention Network, public-private partnerships, best practices in crime prevention, comparable statistics, applied criminology and an enhanced approach towards young offenders;

9. to promote and develop coordination, cooperation and mutual understanding among law enforcement agencies, other national authorities and related Union bodies in respect of the priorities identified by the Council, in particular as set out by Europol's Organised Crime Threat Assessment;

10. to promote and develop best practices for the protection of and support for witnesses;

11. to promote and develop best practices for the protection of crime victims.

The objectives of the Specific programme: Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence Management of Terrorism and other Security related risks are to stimulate, promote and develop measures on prevention, preparedness and consequence management based, inter alia , on comprehensive threat and risk assessments, subject to supervision by Member States and with due regard for existing Community competence in that matter, and aiming to prevent or reduce risks linked with terrorism and other security related risks.

The most recent examples of research projects financed by AGIS include:

- Police Detention in Europe: a comparative study of the provision of services for problematic drug and alcohol users

- Implementation study for an international child sexual exploitation image database

- Optimisation of methods for identifying persons in photographs (photo identification): a contribution to combating and preventing crime in Europe

- Study on Corruption within the Public Sector

- Cyber crime Investigation (developing an international training programme for the future / delivering an intermediate level accredited modular international training programme (two projects)

- Training in efficient amphetamine comparison using a harmonised methodology and sustainable database.

Calls for proposals for action and operating grants are regularly published for these specific programmes. Information is available at:

http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/funding/intro/funding_security_en.htm

[1] The Commission will further analyse the extent and the modalities how results of activities carried out under this Communication can help and complement the external action policies and relevant instruments. The Commission is currently preparing a Communication on better coordinating the EU's external assistance role in security.

[2] Special Eurobarometer, "The role of the European Union in Justice, Freedom and Security policy areas", Fieldwork: June-July 2006, Publication: February 2007.

[3] The ‘Group of Personalities’ (GoP) was set up in 2003. In its final report (Research for a Secure Europe: Report of the Group of Personalities in the field of Security Research, 15 March 2004, http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/security/doc/gop_en.pdf.), the GoP recommended the launch of a ecure Europe: Report of the Group of Personalities in the field of Security Research, 15 March 2004, http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/security/doc/gop_en.pdf.), the GoP recommended the launch of a security research theme in FP7 with a minimum threshold of € 1 billion per annum as well as the creation of the ‘European Security Research Advisory Board’ (ESRAB).

[4] The ESRAB Board was created by Commission Decision 2005/516/EC on 22 April 2005 and published its final report on 22 September 2006. It recommends that multidisciplinary mission-oriented research should be undertaken. It should combine end-users and suppliers in project definition and execution. The report identified a number of areas to stimulate innovation and improve the use of research in procured products and services. Finally, the ESRAB report also suggested ‘the creation of a European Security Board, to foster greater dialogue and a shared view of European security needs. The board should bring together, in a non-bureaucratic manner, authoritative senior representatives from the public and private communities to jointly develop a strategic security agenda and act as a possible reference body for the implementation of existing programmes and initiatives’.

[5] A framework programme bundles different EU financial programmes related to a particular theme together under a common umbrella.

[6] Research for a Secure Europe: Report of the Group of Personalities in the field of Security Research, 15 March 2004. “Security Research: The Next Steps”, 9 September 2004.

[7] The 2006 ESRAB report recommends that multidisciplinary mission-oriented research should be undertaken. It should combine end-users and suppliers in project definition and execution. The report identified a number of areas to stimulate innovation and improve the use of research in procured products and services.

[8] The nine current FP7 Associated countries are: Croatia, Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia, Iceland, Israel, Lichtenstein, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey.

[9] COM(2004) 702.

[10] See "Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on Promoting Data Protection by Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PETs) - COM(2007) 228.

[11] See in particular Commission Guidelines on the application of Article 81 of the EC Treaty to horizontal cooperation agreements - OJ C 3, 6.1.2001, p. 2, Chapter 6.

[12] The European Commission's Green Paper on "The European Research Area: New Perspectives" of 4 April 2007 suggests a process of joint research programming between Member States, regions and other actors on a number of societal challenges - COM(2007) 161.

[13] The initial members of the Forum have been proposed by the Member States and Associated Countries following a formal invitation by the Commission.

[14] The ESRAB Board was created by Commission Decision 2005/516/EC on 22 April 2005 and published its final report on 22 September 2006.

[15] Council Decision 2007/125/JHA of 12 February 2007 establishing for the period 2007 to 2013, as part of General Programme on Security and Safeguarding Liberties, the Specific Programme ‘Prevention of and Fight against Crime’.

[16] Council Decision 2007/124/EC of 12 February 2007 establishing for the period 2007 to 2013, as part of General Programme on Security and Safeguarding Liberties, the Specific Programme ‘Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence Management of Terrorism and other Security related risks’.