Legal basis and policy framework

Legal proposals, laws in force, and studies contracted by the European Commission.

Legal basis and official evaluations

Horizon 2020 (2014-20)

Regulation establishing Horizon 2020 - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020)

Regulation laying down the rules for participation and dissemination in "Horizon 2020 - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-20)"

Council Decision 2013/743/EU of 3 December 2013 establishing the specific programme implementing Horizon 2020 - the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation (2014-2020)

Internal Security Fund (2014-2020)

ISF-Police: Regulation (EU) No 513/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 establishing, as part of the Internal Security Fund, the instrument for financial support for police cooperation, preventing and combating crime, and crisis management

ISF-Borders: Regulation (EU) No 515/2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 establishing, as part of the Internal Security Fund, the instrument for financial support for external borders and visa

FP7 (2007-13)

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)

(09.2015) Final Evaluation of Security Research under the Seventh Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration (Technopolis Group)

(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'

2007-13 internal security funds

Council Decision 2007/125/EC establishing for the period 2007 to 2013, as part of the General Programme on Security and Safeguarding Liberties, the Specific Programme 'Prevention of and Fight against Crime'

Council Decision 2007/124/EC establishing for the period 2007 to 2013, as part of the General Programme on Security and Safeguarding Liberties, the Specific Programme 'Prevention, Preparedness and Consequence Management of Terrorism and other Security related risks'

(16.6.2011): Commission Communication on the mid-term evaluation of the Framework Programme "Security and Safeguarding Liberties" (2007-2013) (COM(2011) 318 final): mid-term evaluation of the ISEC and CIPS programmes

Decision No 574/2007/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 May 2007 establishing the External Borders Fund for the period 2007 to 2013 as part of the General programme 'Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows'

(8.10.2014): The External Borders Fund has fostered financial solidarity but requires better measurement of results and needs to provide further EU added value (European Court of Auditors)

(23.4.2014): Report from the Commission on the ex-post evaluation of the External Borders Fund for the period 2007-2010 (COM(2014) 235 final)

Preparatory Action on Security Research

(3.2.2004) European Commission Decision 2004/213/EC on the implementation of the Preparatory Action on the Enhancement of the European industrial potential in the field of security research

Studies contracted by the European Commission

Study on the development of statistical data on the European security technological and industrial base (2015) - Ecorys

Study evaluating the status quo and the legal implications of third party liability for the European security industry (2013) - Metro, European Centre of Tort and Insurance Law and Hunton & Williams: "Third party liability has been identified as an issue that could adversely impact the European security industry. Limitless third party liability for security product and services is believed to have the potential to reduce investments in innovation... This development has convinced the EU to examine the legal implications of third party liability of the security industry and possible policy options."

Study on Civil Military Synergies in the field of Security (2012) - Ecorys: "one option to strengthen the security industrial base is to (further) enhance cooperation between the civil security and military industries and promote technological spin-offs between them."

Study on pre-commercial procurement in the field of Security (2011) - Ecorys with Decision Etudes & Conseil and TNO: "In order to preserve the future positions of European industry, reinforcing both the amount and efficiency of European R&D seems essential, as well as striving to correct these weaknesses. Pre-Commercial Procurement (PCP), a procedure for the public procurement of R&D services, covering the exploration and definition of different competing solutions, down to test-series production and field testing, seems able to provide some answers to these difficulties."

Study on Security Regulation, Conformity Assessment & Certification (2011) - Ecorys: "The main elements of this Report concern the overview of the EU regulatory environment, together with an assessment of the environment for conformity assessment and certification of security products."

Study on the industrial implications of the blurring of dividing lines between Security and Defence (2010) - Istituto Affari Internazionali, Manchester Institute of Innovation Research and Institut des Relations Internationales et Stratégiques: "The [European Commission] has identitified converging activities between the security and defence markets and has therefore initiated this study to explore the potential implications."

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"

High-level reports and policy papers

(2018) Horizon 2020 Protection and Security Advisory Group (PASAG): Achieving synergies between security and information-related fundamental rights (IRFR) in a digital intensive environment (July 2018, pdf): In line with the cybersecurity theme of the Horizon 2020 security research programme, the PASAG (responsible for providing advice to the European Commission on the content of the security research work programmes) has produced a report on fundamental rights and the "digital-intensive" environment (e.g. concerning the Internet of Things, big data, surveillance, social media). The report argues that technologies to enforce fundamental rights are unlikely to be funded by industry and should be the focus of public funding; it makes a number of recommendations for the types of projects or topics that could be pursued. At the same time, this desire to ensure that fundamental rights are protected in a "digital intensive environment" is, at root, a means to ensure that the model of 'surveillance capitalism' that has arisen in recent years retains legitimacy in the eyes of the public.

(2011) European Commission: Results of the Public Consultation on an Industrial Policy for the Security Industry: "The objective of this consultation was to collect the stakeholders’ views on the envisaged policy measures aimed at an enhancing the security of the European citizens through a dedicated EU security industry policy."

(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!

(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.

(2009) European Security Research and Innovation Forum Report Sets out a "roadmap" for security research.
- 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

(2006) European Security Research Advisory Board report "Meeting the challenge: the European Security Research Agenda"
- Commission Communication on Public-Private Dialogue in Security Research and Innovation (11.9.2007, COM (2007) 511)

(2006) European Commission Green Paper on detection technologies (1.9.2006, COM (2006) 474)

(2004) Group of Personalities Report: "A Secure Europe in a Better World" Report of the Group of Personalities in the field of Security Research
- European Commission Communication on Security Research (7.9.2004, COM (2004) 590)
- 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)