The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report by Bogdan Adam KLICH (EPP-ED, PL). (Please see the document of 20/04/2005.) Parliament felt that an efficient security research programme should be based on a coordinated reference framework, involving relevant security research stakeholders and appropriate and rationalised funding, and should be built on existing Community experience in the management of joint research programmes.

The European Security Research Programme and its financing: Parliament underlined that the ESRP should respect the particular nature of security research, taking into account specific elements such as rules governing intellectual property rights, treatment of classified information, protection of secure information and technology transfer. The activities of the ESRP should be based on the codecision procedure. Parliament recommended that the future European security research programme should include among its priorities the fight against terrorism, territorial monitoring, civil defence, control of the Union’s external frontiers, and other areas in which Community action can provide added value without entering into conflict with the competences of the Member States. It shared the view that the ESRP should focus concretely but not exclusively on research activities and technological areas with common added value so as to successfully mitigate new security challenges, such as those related to bio-terrorism, cyber-crime and any other form of modern organised crime.

Parliament recognised that additional funding will be needed for an effective security research programme. The funding level of EUR 1 000 million per year proposed by the Group of Personalities Report could be reached by making use of funding from the Framework Research Programme as well as from alternative sources.

Consultation and cooperation with stakeholders: Parliament welcomed the suggested setting up of the European Security Research Advisory Board (ESRAB). The European Parliament should be represented in the ESRAB by five members. It urged a balanced involvement of industrial representatives, research sponsors and public and private customers, scientific research bodies, public institutions and representatives of civil liberties organisations. Within the framework of transatlantic relations, European security research should entail the necessary efforts to avoid duplication and promote interoperability, while respecting the specificities of the Union research landscape in this field. Parliament emphasised nevertheless that the Union’s security research budget should be used to develop EU corporate interests.

Institutional setting: Parliament insisted that it should be engaged in the development of European security research activities not only by being regularly informed of progress but above all by being consulted in advance on the implementation of the planned programme. It also insisted on the need for a more coherent political and institutional framework to promote cooperation and efficient coordination between the ESRP, the new European Defence Agency (EDA) and the Union’s relevant policies relating to security and defence issues.

Management of the European Security Research Programme : the management of the ESRP should emphasise the added value of interoperability and connectivity so as to improve cross-border cooperation, avoid unnecessary duplication and improve the coherence of the Union’s efforts. Parliament strongly advocated the development of strong common research and development infrastructures, the promotion of collaboration between laboratories on a Union-wide scale and the development of human resources in research and technology, making Europe a more attractive area for skilled researchers in this field. It stressed the benefits that a more competitive European security industry, based on the existing capacity of the defence industry and other specialised areas relating to new technology infrastructures, could provide in strengthening the economic growth and overall competitiveness of the European economy. However, EU initiatives on security research must not result in a weakening of the Union’s principles and values on human and democratic rights, political freedoms, civil liberties and ethics.

The European Parliament adopted a resolution based on the own-initiative report by Bogdan Adam KLICH (EPP-ED, PL). (Please see the document of 20/04/2005.) Parliament felt that an efficient security research programme should be based on a coordinated reference framework, involving relevant security research stakeholders and appropriate and rationalised funding, and should be built on existing Community experience in the management of joint research programmes.

The European Security Research Programme and its financing: Parliament underlined that the ESRP should respect the particular nature of security research, taking into account specific elements such as rules governing intellectual property rights, treatment of classified information, protection of secure information and technology transfer. The activities of the ESRP should be based on the codecision procedure. Parliament recommended that the future European security research programme should include among its priorities the fight against terrorism, territorial monitoring, civil defence, control of the Union’s external frontiers, and other areas in which Community action can provide added value without entering into conflict with the competences of the Member States. It shared the view that the ESRP should focus concretely but not exclusively on research activities and technological areas with common added value so as to successfully mitigate new security challenges, such as those related to bio-terrorism, cyber-crime and any other form of modern organised crime.

Parliament recognised that additional funding will be needed for an effective security research programme. The funding level of EUR 1 000 million per year proposed by the Group of Personalities Report could be reached by making use of funding from the Framework Research Programme as well as from alternative sources.

Consultation and cooperation with stakeholders: Parliament welcomed the suggested setting up of the European Security Research Advisory Board (ESRAB). The European Parliament should be represented in the ESRAB by five members. It urged a balanced involvement of industrial representatives, research sponsors and public and private customers, scientific research bodies, public institutions and representatives of civil liberties organisations. Within the framework of transatlantic relations, European security research should entail the necessary efforts to avoid duplication and promote interoperability, while respecting the specificities of the Union research landscape in this field. Parliament emphasised nevertheless that the Union’s security research budget should be used to develop EU corporate interests.

Institutional setting: Parliament insisted that it should be engaged in the development of European security research activities not only by being regularly informed of progress but above all by being consulted in advance on the implementation of the planned programme. It also insisted on the need for a more coherent political and institutional framework to promote cooperation and efficient coordination between the ESRP, the new European Defence Agency (EDA) and the Union’s relevant policies relating to security and defence issues.

Management of the European Security Research Programme : the management of the ESRP should emphasise the added value of interoperability and connectivity so as to improve cross-border cooperation, avoid unnecessary duplication and improve the coherence of the Union’s efforts. Parliament strongly advocated the development of strong common research and development infrastructures, the promotion of collaboration between laboratories on a Union-wide scale and the development of human resources in research and technology, making Europe a more attractive area for skilled researchers in this field. It stressed the benefits that a more competitive European security industry, based on the existing capacity of the defence industry and other specialised areas relating to new technology infrastructures, could provide in strengthening the economic growth and overall competitiveness of the European economy. However, EU initiatives on security research must not result in a weakening of the Union’s principles and values on human and democratic rights, political freedoms, civil liberties and ethics.

The committee adopted the own-initiative report drawn up by Bogdan KLICH (EPP-ED, PL) in response to the Commission paper entitled 'Security Research - The Next Steps'. MEPs welcomed the Commission proposal for a European Security Research Programme (ESRP) and stressed the need to develop a "structured and efficient" security research programme at EU level, in order to address current and future security challenges and clearly-defined European requirements. They also said that the programme should enhance the security and safety of European citizens and ensure European credibility and effectiveness in ESDP (European Security and Defence Policy) operations, while contributing to the growth and competitiveness of the European economy.

The committee underlined the public-interest nature of all aspects relating to security research and called for programmes and projects in this field to be given sufficient stability and for the budgetary allocation to be linked to the trend in GDP, so as to secure the greatest possible continuity over time and the best results.

Lastly, the report made a range of specific recommendations for getting the most out of the programme, which would be developed as part of the Seventh EU Research Framework Programme.

PURPOSE : to launch a fully-fledged European Security Research Programme (ESRP) by 2007, with a sufficiently large budget.

CONTEXT : events such as the Madrid railway attacks of March 2004 underline the need to enhance the security for citizens throughout Europe. In addition, enlargement to a ‘Europe of 25' demands extra efforts to ensure a consistent high level of security throughout the whole of a Union with frontiers now extending to the East and the South. To address the growing and diversifying security challenge, Europe needs to harness the combined and relatively untapped strengths of relevant industry and coordinates the research community in order effectively and innovatively to address existing and future security challenges, enhance the protection of the citizen and play an efficient role in peace-keeping activities. The threat to security which now exists can only be effectively addressed at European scale.

The above approach will ensure security research under a Community Framework that can provide strong added value.

CONTENT : this paper represents the Commission's feedback to recommendations of a high-level group of 27 top European industry executives and policymakers, published in March 2004. The report, "Research for a Secure Europe", stresses the need for increased co-ordination in this field and advocates an annual EU budget of € 1 billion for security research.

The Commission welcomes the Group of Personalities report. It subscribes to the main thrust of the recommendations and orientations, and will undertake, in collaboration with stakeholders, the necessary actions, which may be grouped in four domains:

1) Consultation and cooperation with stakeholders : the Commission will establish in Autumn 2004, a ‘European Security Research Advisory Board' to advise on the content of the ESRP and its implementation, paying due attention to the proposals of the Group of Personalities. The Board should include experts from various stakeholder groups: users, industry, and research organisations. It will establish user needs and encourage cooperation between Member States in the exchange of Intellectual Property Rights and classified information, and the protection of secure information. The Commission will ensure effective coordination of the ESRP with its own internal research capabilities and other European research activities, whether funded at Community, national or intergovernmental level. This coordination also relates to work in international organisations such as the UN, OSCE and NATO, and for the activities of European organisations such as the European Space Agency (ESA).

2) A European Security Research Programme : subscribing to the recommendation to establish a European Security Research Programme (ESRP) to commence in 2007, the Commission will initiate an inter-institutional debate for consensus on such a programme, building on the work of the Preparatory Action on security research, which it will continue until the end of 2006. Security research has been included in the Communication on the Financial Perspectives of the Union for 2007-2013. A programme proposal will be tabled in early 2005 on the content, multi-annual financial plan and institutional framework for an ESRP, as part of the 7th Framework Programme of Community Research. The ESRP should be implemented as a specific research programme with its own set of procedures (e.g. adapted to confidentiality requirements), rules for participation, contracts and funding arrangements.

3) An effective institutional setting : the Commission will ensure that the requirements of the European Security Strategy, the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) and other relevant Commission policies associated with internal security are fully taken into account in the development of security research.

It is determined to develop cooperation and synergies between Community security research and relevant aspects of the European Defence Agency (EDA) work. It encourages Member States to work with the Commission towards improving coordination and optimisation of use of research and technology results for civil, security and defence applications. Jointly identifying and meeting common R&D and technology needs will contribute to fostering cooperation between competent authorities at different levels in a very pragmatic and concrete way.

4) A governance structure responding to the urgency and nature of the work : the Commission will establish, in discussion with Member States and other stakeholders and based on its experiences with RTD programme management, the best mechanisms to ensure effective management of the ESRP. The Commission will put in place effective and flexible contract, participation and funding mechanisms - for example to allow co-funding of new technologies by public authorities; thereby ensuring a high degree of synergy or of complementarity, in consultation with stakeholders and deriving from experience gained on rules and procedures during the Preparatory Action.

PURPOSE : to launch a fully-fledged European Security Research Programme (ESRP) by 2007, with a sufficiently large budget.

CONTEXT : events such as the Madrid railway attacks of March 2004 underline the need to enhance the security for citizens throughout Europe. In addition, enlargement to a ‘Europe of 25' demands extra efforts to ensure a consistent high level of security throughout the whole of a Union with frontiers now extending to the East and the South. To address the growing and diversifying security challenge, Europe needs to harness the combined and relatively untapped strengths of relevant industry and coordinates the research community in order effectively and innovatively to address existing and future security challenges, enhance the protection of the citizen and play an efficient role in peace-keeping activities. The threat to security which now exists can only be effectively addressed at European scale.

The above approach will ensure security research under a Community Framework that can provide strong added value.

CONTENT : this paper represents the Commission's feedback to recommendations of a high-level group of 27 top European industry executives and policymakers, published in March 2004. The report, "Research for a Secure Europe", stresses the need for increased co-ordination in this field and advocates an annual EU budget of € 1 billion for security research.

The Commission welcomes the Group of Personalities report. It subscribes to the main thrust of the recommendations and orientations, and will undertake, in collaboration with stakeholders, the necessary actions, which may be grouped in four domains:

1) Consultation and cooperation with stakeholders : the Commission will establish in Autumn 2004, a ‘European Security Research Advisory Board' to advise on the content of the ESRP and its implementation, paying due attention to the proposals of the Group of Personalities. The Board should include experts from various stakeholder groups: users, industry, and research organisations. It will establish user needs and encourage cooperation between Member States in the exchange of Intellectual Property Rights and classified information, and the protection of secure information. The Commission will ensure effective coordination of the ESRP with its own internal research capabilities and other European research activities, whether funded at Community, national or intergovernmental level. This coordination also relates to work in international organisations such as the UN, OSCE and NATO, and for the activities of European organisations such as the European Space Agency (ESA).

2) A European Security Research Programme : subscribing to the recommendation to establish a European Security Research Programme (ESRP) to commence in 2007, the Commission will initiate an inter-institutional debate for consensus on such a programme, building on the work of the Preparatory Action on security research, which it will continue until the end of 2006. Security research has been included in the Communication on the Financial Perspectives of the Union for 2007-2013. A programme proposal will be tabled in early 2005 on the content, multi-annual financial plan and institutional framework for an ESRP, as part of the 7th Framework Programme of Community Research. The ESRP should be implemented as a specific research programme with its own set of procedures (e.g. adapted to confidentiality requirements), rules for participation, contracts and funding arrangements.

3) An effective institutional setting : the Commission will ensure that the requirements of the European Security Strategy, the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) and other relevant Commission policies associated with internal security are fully taken into account in the development of security research.

It is determined to develop cooperation and synergies between Community security research and relevant aspects of the European Defence Agency (EDA) work. It encourages Member States to work with the Commission towards improving coordination and optimisation of use of research and technology results for civil, security and defence applications. Jointly identifying and meeting common R&D and technology needs will contribute to fostering cooperation between competent authorities at different levels in a very pragmatic and concrete way.

4) A governance structure responding to the urgency and nature of the work : the Commission will establish, in discussion with Member States and other stakeholders and based on its experiences with RTD programme management, the best mechanisms to ensure effective management of the ESRP. The Commission will put in place effective and flexible contract, participation and funding mechanisms - for example to allow co-funding of new technologies by public authorities; thereby ensuring a high degree of synergy or of complementarity, in consultation with stakeholders and deriving from experience gained on rules and procedures during the Preparatory Action.