Background and context of ESRIF
Why was 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) was 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.
From September 2007 until November 2009 ESRIF has held 11 meetings in plenary.
