[esrif.eu] ESRIF stands for the "European Security Research and Innovation Forum".
It is a European strategy group in the civil security research domain that was established in September 2007.
Its main objective is to develop a mid and long term strategy for civil security research and innovation through public private dialogue by 2009.
ESRIF was set up and is supported by the EU Member States and the
European Commission together. Its members represent three different
interest groups ("stakeholders"):
- Those that will use and apply the achievements of security research
– knowledge, technologies and products (often large systems): European,
national and regional authorities, police, fire brigades, all kinds of
emergency organisations and first responders, private and public
operators of critical infrastructure etc. ("demand side"); - Those that perform security research and turn its outcome into
technologies and products: universities, research establishments,
industry, including SMEs ("supply side"); - And representatives of the citizens, often non governmental
organisations or special think tanks, that are affected by both
potential security incidents as well as the efforts to ensure their
security ("civil society").
Why is ESRIF needed?
Security Context
The security threats facing Europe are becoming more complex.
External and internal threats are becoming increasingly intertwined.
The threats to European security are also becoming more diverse, with
developments affecting public health, energy, and the environment
taking their place alongside the five threats identified in the European Security Strategy
Furthermore, the countries of Europe are increasingly interdependent
as regards their security. To cope with these changes, both the
governments of EU Member States and the EU as a whole need to invest in
security-related research, supporting their security policies, and to
develop innovative processes and products. They also need to engage all
relevant partners.
Developing and implementing an effective security research strategy
requires the participation of all relevant stakeholders in the private
and public sectors, both at national and European levels.
In order to drive this process forward through the establishment of
a strategic security research and innovation agenda, the European
Security Research and Innovation Forum (ESRIF) has been created.
Research Context
EU level civil security research started in 2004 when the European Commission launched a three years Preparatory Action for Security Research (PASR)
with a budget of 45 M€ for 2004-2006. The purpose of the PASR was the
development of a fully fledged European civil security research
programme that was eventually implemented as part of the 7th Research Framework Programme (FP7) , the EU´s main instrument for funding research over the period 2007 to 2013.
The FP7 Security theme
was allocated a budget of 1400 M€ for that period. It launches annual
work programmes which are implemented mainly through calls for
proposals.
During the years of the PASR and early FP7, a number of national security research programmes were also prepared and launched in the EU Member States.
The preparation of both the PASR and the FP7 Security theme was supported by high level strategy groups: the Group of Personalities (GoP) for Security Research and the European Security Research Advisory Board (ESRAB) whose strategic advice shaped the scope and implementation of these programmes.
However, there was still a need for:
- Coordination of the strategy and implementation of European and national security research funding programmes;
- a mid and longer term perspective for civil security research in
Europe, going beyond pure research and also embracing innovation
elements; - improving coordination between security policy and its
implementation on the one side and security research on the other side,
including the demand and supply side of security technologies/solutions
and also involving civil society, and also between the various players
in the field; - coordination between civil and military security research.
History of ESRIF
The intention to set up ESRIF was announced at the 2nd European Conference on Security Research – SRC’07
in Berlin on 26 March 2007 by the German Minister for Education and
Research, Ms. Annette Schavan, then representing the EU Presidency, and
Commission’s Vice Presidents Günter Verheugen and Franco Frattini
In September 2007 the European Commission welcomed the establishment of ESRIF in a new Communication on Public-Private Dialogue in Security Research and Innovation
ESRIF’s inaugurating meeting took place on 11 September 2007.
ESRIF members represent four stakeholder groups:
- The security technology / solution demand side
- Authorities
and end users in charge of civil security from the 27 EU Member States
as well as from the countries associated with the 7th Research Framework Programme (FP7);
- Authorities
- The security technology / solution supply side
- Representatives of industry, research establishments and academia with a particular security profile;
- Civil society representatives
- Think-tanks, civil liberty organisations and other relevant experts;
- The European representatives
- Observers from the European Parliament (EP) from relevant EP committees;
- European agencies and comparable organisations in the security and / or security research domain: EUROPOL, FRONTEX and EDA;
- the European Commission , in particular its Directorates General concerned with security and/or security research issues.
All members were nominated in spring/summer 2007 either by the EU
Member States and FP7 Associated Countries (stakeholder groups 1, 2 and
3) or by the European organisations listed under stakeholder group 4.
It was agreed among them that ESRIF should have between 50 and 70 members in total. (view list of members)
ESRIF Chairmen
Mr. Gijs de Vries (The Netherlands, Netherlands Institute of International relations Clingendael) was elected chairman of ESRIF.
He is supported by two deputy chairmen: Mr. Jürgen Stock (Germany, Bundeskriminalamt) and Giancarlo Grasso (Italy, Finmeccanica).
Contributors to the ESRIF work groups
To bring together all required expertise and to ensure a balanced
profile, the eleven working groups of ESRIF are open to involve
additional contributors beyond the formal members of ESRIF.
So far, about 500 persons from all over Europe have expressed their interest to contribute to the work.
Source: http://www.esrif.eu
