Europe discusses the need for a strategy for security research, April 2004

An increasingly dangerous international situation, the European Union's enlargement and the drive for international competitiveness are just three of the factors behind increasingly vocal calls for the EU to commit more resources to security-related research and development activities.

In the words of the Commission's Directorate-General for Research: 'Making Europe more secure for its citizens while increasing its industrial competitiveness is the goal of European Security Research. By co-operating and coordinating efforts on a Europe-wide scale, the EU can better understand and respond to risks in a constantly changing world.' Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin has noted that 'Technology alone cannot guarantee security, but security without technology is impossible.'

Early in February 2004, the Commission issued Towards a programme to advance European security through Research and Technology - a Communication intended to launch a pilot phase of security research, with a budget of €65 million over 2004-2006.

In March, in the wake of the Madrid bombings, a Group of Personalities in the field of Security Research presented a report entitled Research for a Secure Europe, which makes 12 recommendations for managing security research. Commission President Romano Prodi welcomed the report, saying that it 'opens a new area of activity in which the added value of closer cooperation, joint efforts and increased investment at EU level is indisputable.'

Background

The risks facing the Member States were enumerated in the European Security Strategy adopted at the December 2003 European Council in Brussels (see European Sources Online: In Focus: Security Doctrine adopted by the European Union, December 2003). Terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and failed states and the organised crime associated with them were identified as key threats to the EU.

The Report of the Group of Personalities in the field of Security Research, released a few months later, said that 'Political, social and technological developments have created a fluid security environment where risks and vulnerabilities are more diverse and less visible. New threats have emerged that ignore state borders and target European interests outside and within EU territory.' The report went on to argue that 'Europe must take advantage of its technological strengths. Technology itself cannot guarantee security, but security without the support of technology is impossible.'

However, speaking in December 2003, Commissioner Erkki Liikanen, responsible for Enterprise and the Information Society, noted that there is 'no coherent European approach to Security-related research today. Some Member States directly fund security-related research while yet more is derived from joint programmes involving groups of Member States' (see: Towards a security research programme). Similarly, according to Commissioner Philippe Busquin, responsible for the Commission's Research DG, 'Europe is paying a very high price for the artificial, and uniquely European, separation between civil and military research' (see: European industry leaders and EU policymakers meet to plan for security research).

Although 'defence' is only one aspect of 'security', arguments for additional EU funding for security research often focus on defence-related spending. The European Union currently spends far less on defence-related research than does the United States. Member States' combined research and development budgets for the defence sector amount to some €10 billion annually, compared to the €54 billion spent by America, and means that 'the EU is at risk of becoming more dependent and vulnerable in this essential area' (see Commission press releases: Global tensions highlight need for advanced security research at EU level and European industry leaders and EU policymakers meet to plan for security research).

In an effort to bring some coherence to the situation, on 3 February 2004 the Commission published a Decision ... on the implementation of the Preparatory Action on the Enhancement of the European industrial potential in the field of security research (see also press release: Security research: EU action to improve protection of citizens), which identified the following priorities for action:

• improving situation awareness
• optimising security and protection of networked systems
• protecting against terrorism
• enhancing crisis management
• achieving interoperability and integrated systems for information and communication.

An Annex to the Decision gives details of activities eligible for funding. Based on the results of the initial phase, a decision is expected to be taken on the creation of a European Security Research Programme from 2007.

A Group of Personalities in the field of Security Research was established in October 2003 and presented its report, Research for a Secure Europe, to Commission President Romano Prodi on 15 March 2004. Chaired by European Commissioners Philippe Busquin and Erkki Liikanen, the Group identified a number of weaknesses in current research efforts, including an artificial divide between defence and civil research, a lack of specific schemes for security research at the EU level, limited cooperation between EU Member States, and a lack of coordination among national and European efforts.

Overall, the Group called for national, intergovernmental and Community research efforts in both civil and military spheres to be combined, and for a European Security Research Programme (ESRP) to be established. It also made 12 specific recommendations for the future management of security-related research:

1. A Community-funded ESRP ensuring the involvement of all Member States should be launched as early as 2007. Its minimum funding should be €1 billion per year, additional to existing funding. This spending level should be reached rapidly, with the possibility to progressively increase it further, if appropriate, to bring the combined EU (Community, national and intergovernmental) security research investment level close to that of the U.S.
2. An ESRP should fund capability-related research projects up to the level of demonstrators that are useful in particular for Internal Security in the EU and for CFSP/ESDP-missions.
3. In closing the gap between civil and defence research, an ESRP should seek to maximize the benefits of multi-purpose aspects of technology.
   In order to stimulate synergies, it should encourage transformation, integration of applications and technology transfer from one sector to the other.
   Research for a Secure Europe
4. An ESRP should focus on interoperability and connectivity as key elements of cross-border and inter-service cooperation. In this context, a kernel of architectural design rules and standards should be worked out at an early stage.
5. The rules governing an ESRP must suit the specificities of security research. The Commission should, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders, develop the necessary rules for IPR and technology transfer.
6. Recognizing that many requirements will be government-specified, new financing instruments should be created to enable research funding to be disbursed, if justified, at up to 100% of cost.
7. A 'Security Research Advisory Board' should be established to draw strategic lines of action to prepare the research agenda of an ESRP as well as to advise on the principles and mechanisms for its implementation. Moreover, it should identify critical technology areas where Europe should aim for an indigenous competitive capability. The Board should consist of high-level experts from public and private customers, industry, research organizations and any other relevant stakeholders.
8. Definition of customer needs will be key for the successful implementation of an ESRP. A mechanism should therefore be established at EU level to identify in consultation with potential customers, future capability needs for Internal Security missions.
9. Effective coordination must make sure that the ESRP does not duplicate but complements other European research activities whether funded at Community, national or intergovernmental level.
10. The Commission and the Council should ensure an effective and efficient liaison between an ESRP and the future 'Agency in the field of defence capabilities development, research, acquisition and armaments'.
11. The ESRP should take into account and, where appropriate, coordinate with research efforts of international organizations with responsibilities for global or regional security issues.
12. An ESRP should aim at fostering the competitiveness of the European security industries and stimulating the development of the market (public and private) for security products and systems. Implementing the Proposals for Action put forward in the Commission's Communication 'Towards a European defence equipment market' would greatly help to achieve this objective and to maximize the benefits of an ESRP.

It is not yet clear how the Union's proposed security research activities would relate to those of the European Armaments, Research and Military Capabilities Agency, to be established under the draft Constitutional Treaty (see Article III-212).

Further information within European Sources Online

European Sources Online: Topic Guides

	The European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy
	Defence in Europe

European Sources Online: In Focus

	Europe's defence equipment industry, March 2003
	Solana presents new EU security strategy, June 2003
	Security Doctrine adopted by the European Union, December 2003
	Commission Decision of 3 February 2004 on the implementation of the Preparatory Action on the Enhancement of the European industrial potential in the field of security research (2004/213/EC)

Further information can be seen in these external links:
(long-term access cannot be guaranteed)

EU Institutions

European Commission

DG Press and Communication

	Press releases
		07.10.03:	European industry leaders and EU policymakers meet to plan for security research [IP/03/1351]
		19.03.03:	Global tensions highlight need for advanced security research at EU level [IP/03/411]
		15.03.04:	European industry leaders and EU policymakers call for budget boost for Security Research [IP/04/335]
		03.02.04:	Security research: EU action to improve protection of citizens [IP/04/145]
	Memos
		07.10.03:	Frequently Asked Questions on European Security Research [MEMO/03/192] How can Community research contribute to a European security strategy?
	Speeches
		17.12.03:	Erkki Liikanen: “Towards a security research programme” [SPEECH/04/1] Member of the European Commission, responsible for Enterprise and the Information Society Meeting with EP Sky & Space Intergroup

DG Research

	Security Research
	Research for a Secure Europe: Report of the Group of Personalities in the field of Security Research
	Group of Personalities discusses a security research strategy for Europe [CORDIS Focus]

Eric Davies
Researcher
Compiled: 26 April 2004

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