Observatory on the European Security Research Programme (ESRP)

What is the ESRP?

The European Security Research Programme is a €1.4 billion component of the current seven-year EU Framework Research Programme (FP7, 2007-13). The ESRP has the twin objectives of enhancing public safety through the development of security technologies and fostering the growth of a globally competitive European 'Homeland Security' market. Unlike other aspects of FP7, the ESRP is managed by the European Commission's DG for Enterprise and Industry rather than DG Research. Significant additional funding has also been allocated to the security aspects of other themes in the €51 billion FP7 programme (e.g. space, transport, energy, nanotechnology etc).

Research by Statewatch and the Transnational Institute has shown how the design of the ESRP was largely outsourced to the major players in the nascent European Homeland Security industry, instituting an apparent conflict of interests within which large multinationals have been able to shape the security research agenda, apply for the subsequent R&D funds on offer, and then sell the resulting technologies and systems back to the governments that funded their development. According to a 2010 report commissioned by the European Parliament, "it is mostly large defence companies, the very same who have participated in the definition of EU-sponsored security research which are the main beneficiaries of [ESRP] funds".

The EU has also recommended member states to establish dedicated national security research programmes and at least seven have done so.

Latest documents

• (21.3.2011) Mid-term review of FP7 by European Parliament: draft Audy report. See NeoConOpticon blog: 'Lobbyists delight: draft European Parliament report calls for full-blown EU military research budget'
         
• (14.3.2011) The European Commission has launched a public consultation entitled ‘Unleashing the potential of Europe’s security industry’. See also Commission Background paper and NeoConOpticon blog: 'Please help this beleaguered industry! Commission launches consultation on security industry'.
         
• (9.2.2011) The European Commission has published a Green Paper on a Common Strategic Framework for future EU Research and Innovation Funding (COM (2011) 48) and launched a public consultation. Responses are invited by 20 May 2011.
     
• For latest news and information on the ESRP see also NeoConOpticon Blog

Critical reports - Statewatch/Transnational Institute

• NeoConOpticon: The EU Security-Industrial Complex (2009)
     
• The German Security Research Programme: Transferring military technology – securitising civil research by Eric Topfer (2010)
     
• Arming Big Brother: The EU's Security Research Programme (2006)

European Commission, Advisory Group and European parliament documents

• Review of security measures in the Research Framework Programme, European Parliament Directorate General for internal Policies (2010) Detailed report confirming many of the findings in Statewatch and TNI’s earlier NeoConOpticon report (above).
     
• Study on the Competitiveness of the EU security industry (2009) - ECORYS Research and Consulting with DECISION Etudes & Conseil and TNO. Assesses "the current situation of the EU security industry, its structure and organisation, competitiveness position and challenges for the future"
     
• Commission Communication on the European Security Research and Innovation Agenda (21.12.2009, COM (2009) 691). The Commission's position on ESRIF's key findings and recommendations
     
• European Security Research and Innovation Forum Report (2009) Sets out a "roadmap" for security research.
     
• Commission Communication on Public-Private Dialogue in Security Research and Innovation (11.9.2007, COM (2007) 511)
     
• Decision No 1982/2006/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 December 2006 concerning the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007-13)
      
• European Commission Green Paper on detection technologies (1.9.2006, COM (2006) 474)
     
• European Security Research Advisory Board report (2006) "Meeting the challenge: the European Security Research Agenda"
     
• European Commission Communication on Security Research (7.9.2004, COM (2004) 590)
     
• Group of Personalities Report: "A Secure Europe in a Better World" (2004) Report of the Group of Personalities in the field of Security Research
     
• European Commission Decision 2004/213/EC 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
     
• Commission Communication on the implementation of the Preparatory Action on the enhancement of the European industrial potential in the field of Security research - Towards a programme to advance European security through Research and Technology - (3.2.2004, COM (2004) 72)

Projects funded under the ESRP

• ESRP projects 2008-9 (78 projects funded under 2008 and 2009 calls for proposals)
     
• ESRP projects 2008 (45 projects funded under 2008 FP7-ESRP call for proposals)
     
• ESRP projects 2004-6 (39 projects funded under the "Preparatory Action for Security Research")
     
• CORDIS database (search all EC-funded projects)

Israel's involvement in the ESRP

• Should the EU subsidise Israeli Security? Ben Hayes (Statewatch), European Voice newspaper (March 2010)
     
• Statewatch submission on Israel's involvement in the ESRP to the Russell Tribunal on Palestine (see page 101; 2010). See also oral evidence
     
• Briefing Paper: Security Co-operation between the EU and Israel (2010), Quaker Council for European Affairs
     
• Spain-Israel: Military, Homeland Security and Armament-Based Relations and trends (2010), Alejandro Pozo Marín, Centre d’Estudis per a la Pau/Justícia i Paune
     
• Factsheet on how Israeli arms companies benefit from EU science funds (2009), Dave Cronin, Irish Palestinian Solidarity Campaign

EU websites

• European Commission Security Research website.
     
• European Security Research & Innovation Forum (ESRIF) website.
     
• European Commission FP7 website, the central information point on European research.

Lobbyists

• European Organisation for Security (EOS)
       
• Security and Defence Agenda (SDA)

NeoConOpticon blog

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