10. Security Research

  1. Introduction
  2. What kind of programme is usually funded?
  3. What kind of participant is usually funded? - Participation rules
  4. What is the procedure for funding? - Financing models
  5. Where can I get consultation?
  6. Where can I find a Bavarian contact person?
  7. Where can I get more information?

1. Introduction

Protection of citizens from threats due to natural catastrophes, criminality and terrorism has grown significantly in meaning in recent years in Europe in public discussions. The development of technologies for the civil sector, i.e. traffic, health, catastrophe protection including protection from natural catastrophes, industrial accidents as well as energy safety and environmental protection, etc., form the points of emphasis for research projects in this subject area.

Goals:

  • Build-up and preservation of a European region for freedom, justice and security (secure Europe as a basic prerequisite for life-planning for people, for well-being, economic and social development and investment in the common European domestic market)
  • Development of comprehensive security strategies (from civil-security to military-defence measures)
  • Preparation of suitable technologies and the creation of specific and basic knowledge for the protection of European societies and their citizens from threats (such as terrorism, organised crime, natural catastrophes, as well as industrial accidents with requisite respect for the private sphere and basic civil rights.
  • Linkage of various national and international actors (stimulation of the cooperation and coordination of joint activities)
  • Better understanding and faster reaction to global risks (in light of a continuously changing world, by means of strengthened collaboration and agreement at the European level)

2. What kind of programme is usually funded?

General emphases for research:

  • Topics with reference to domestic security (anti-terror and crisis management)
  • Topics concerning EU policies in a general sense such as traffic, mobility, catastrophe protection, energy, environment and health (there exist here numerous cross-connections to other specific programmes)
  • Development of a European-wide integrated border-control system
  • Security of mass-transport infrastructure
  • Development of a common crisis management system
  • Safety in logistics and in the chain of suppliers
  • CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear explosive materials research)

Research activities and domains (sub-activities)

The work-programme, which had been conceived for the 1st “Call for Proposals” 2007, is sub-divided into four Missions and three cross-sectional activities, to which all announced topics are orientated. These missions and cross-sectional activities will also form the basic structure for all future "Calls".

Security missions (activities with corresponding sub-topics):

  1. Protection of citizens (particularly against terrorism and crime)
    • Development of technology solutions for the protection of the citizens including biological-weapons security, protection against threats such as natural catastrophes, crime and terrorism.
  2. Security of infrastructures and public utilities
    • Analysis and security for existing and future, public and private, critical and cross-linked infrastructures, public utilities and services in areas such as….
      • Information and communication technologies (including radio)
      • Means of transport (air, water and land)
      • Facilities for the supply of energy (oil, electricity and gas) and water
      • Financial services and administrative services
      • Public health matters, etc.
  3. Intelligent surveillance and border security (technologies, systems, tools and methods for the protection of the European borders, land and sea-borders)
    • Research for the improvement of effectiveness and efficiency of all security-related systems, equipment, instruments and procedures
    • Research for the improvement of security of the European land and sea borders
    • Evaluation and handling of illegal immigration streams
  4. Guarantee and restoration of security in the event of a crisis (Technology and communication, coordination in the support of civil, humanitarian and rescue missions)
    • Investigations regarding organisational and operational preparation for the handling of security-related incidents
    • Research regarding the topic crisis management, e.g. catastrophe protection including natural catastrophes and industrial accidents
    • Research regarding the possibilities of humanitarian first-aid for an accident as well as for management of subsequent chain reactions

Cross-sectional activities:

  1. Integration, interconnectedness and interoperability of security systems (data collection for civil security, data protection and capability to monitor the transfer of data)
    • Development of technologies for an increase in interoperability and for an increase in the capacity for inter-communication of systems, equipment, services and procedures (including criminal prosecution, fire-fighting, civil protection and medical information structure)
    • Security of reliability, the protection of confidentiality, the integrity of information as well as capability to monitor all transactions and steps in the work-process
    • Standardisation and training as regards human, cultural and organisational inter-operability, for example fire department, technical relief organisation, etc)
  2. Security and society (acceptance of security solutions, socio-economic and cultural security aspects, ethics and values, social environment and a sense of security)
    • Citizens and society (e.g. human behaviour prior to/during/after crisis situations, etc)
    • Comprehension of organisational structures and cultures for the public user’s society
    • Anticipatory scenarios for future threats and security as a developing concept
    • Security economics
    • Ethics and justice, etc.
  3. Coordination and structures for security research (coordination of European and international efforts in security research at the level of civil, security and defence-related research)

In addition, there exists also the so-called "Joint Calls" with are subject areas, such as the topic "ICT solutions for the protection of critical infrastructures".

3. What kind of participant is usually funded? - Participation rules

Eligible legal entities

  • Universities and universities of applied sciences (formerly known as technical colleges or "Fachhochschulen")
  • Non-university research institutions
  • Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
  • Enterprises with aspirations for innovation (from industry, commerce, etc)
  • Public facilities such as officials
  • Consultation facilities, etc.

Eligible nations

  • EU-27
  • Associated countries (Iceland, Israel, Croatia, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey)
  • International Cooperation Partner Countries (ICPC-countries)
  • Third countries (USA, Canada etc.) => as a rule, they receive no funding!

Make-up of the consortium

  • Minimum three independent legal entities from three different EU member states (third nations do not count as minimum partners)
  • Possible exceptions and special cases are specified in the respective work programmes

Participation of / benefits for industry and SME

  • Increase in the competitiveness of the European security industry through stimulation of the collaboration between service-providers and users in civil security solutions
  • Active demand for the best intellectual and technical skills in all of Europe and in the world through the active participation of SMEs

4. What is the procedure for funding? – Financing models

For the duration of the 7th FP (2007–2013), a budget is planned amounting to 1.40 M. EUR for the subject area "Security Research".

Research instruments:

Basically, three kinds of projects can be submitted:

  • Capability Projects are targeted at the development of fundamental technologies (funding of about 120 projects, 2-5 M. € each for 2–4 years).
  • Integration Projects go one step further and combine various security technologies, in order to solve certain complex tasks (e.g. communication systems for the border security; funding of about 20 projects, 10–25 M. € each for about 4 years).
  • Demonstration Projects are superordinate “systems of systems“, which are projects that are meant to actualise the general key points of the programme (e.g. border protection as a complex task; funding of about 5 projects, 30–40 M. €, distributed in 2 phases [A = 1–1.5 years and B = about 4 years]).
    • Systems of systems
    • Creation of a federative framework in areas with significant European interests

    Phase 1:

    • Definition of strategic “roadmaps“
    • Creation of an EU-wide awareness among public / private “stakeholders” (particularly end-users)
    Funding instrument: CSA (0.5–1. € for about 1 year)

    Phase 2 (later Call, separate proposal and evaluation):

    • Implementation of the demonstration project
    • Large consortium (including public / private “stakeholders”, end-users, etc)
    • Closeness to standardisation, markets and procurement
    Funding instrument: Collaborative project (30–40 M. € for about 4 years)

5. Where can I get consultation?

National Contact Point Security Research
VDI Technology Centre GmbH
Graf-Recke-Straße 84
D-40239 Düsseldorf

Dr. Karin Wey
Tel: +49 (0) 211 - 6214 - 433
Fax: +49 (0) 211 - 6214 - 484
E-Mail:

Dr. Thorsten Fischer
Tel: +49 (0) 211 – 6214 - 628
Fax: +49 (0) 211 - 6214 - 484
E-Mail:

E-Mail for general enquiries:
Internet: http://www.nks-security.de or www.nks-sicherheit.de

6. Where can I find a Bavarian contact person?

Bavarian Research Alliance GmbH
Prinzregentenstr. 52
D-80538 München

Dr. phil. Wolfgang Thiel
Head of Unit Domain Socio-economic Sciences and the Humanities
Tel: +49 (0) 89 - 9901 888 - 160
E-Mail:
Internet: http://www.bayfor.de

7. Where can I get more information?

The National Contact Point for Security Research can be found at the following links:
http://www.nks-security.de or www.nks-sicherheit.de

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