Paris, 29/09/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 29 September in Paris, the French presidency inaugurated the third European conference on research and security (SRCO8). The French minister for higher education in charge of research, Valérie Pécresse, the French minister of the interior, Michèle Alliot-Marie and the Commission for justice, security and freedom, Jacques Barrot, introduced the conference to more than 1000 representatives from the security sector.
The middle-way. During her speech Pécresse announced that, “there can only be a European response to terrorism” and highlighted the need for cooperation between states on research. The minister said that it was important that there was a division of labour between the countries to achieve common goals. She asked, “why do we all need to advance on our own”, when the European Union can have a middle way between its two visions of security, “anticipating” and “resilience”. She reaffirmed their attachment to fundamental freedoms which she said were in the “first rank of European values”. She also underlined that they should not exercise unlimited power over each individual and explained that philosophers and sociologists ought to take part in the “ethical reflection” about security.
European security market priorities. The French minister of the Interior, Michèle Alliot-Marie pointed out that implementation of a genuine European security and research policy required coherent action. She affirmed that, “on a European scale, the first approach consists in identifying needs”. She stressed that the European Security, Research, and Innovation Forum (Esrif) is due to generate a “European security reference” and also emphasised the need to involve European SMEs in security research, stating, “SMEs are a source of innovation and creativity”. She then mentioned “three plinths” on which to develop the European security market: establishing common technical standards to get the EU's voice heard on the international scene; the old technology operated by research centres (role of information towards users) and European research laboratory networks; the pooling of security equipment, a subject of a Commission draft directive in November. The minister also appealed for expanding opportunities in the security area, e.g. civilian protection. Finally, she called on representatives from the industry, following the line of the public authorities, to respect the balance between security and freedom, particularly data protection, “the EU is being called on to play a greater role in research and security. A Europe of security needs to be built that respects everyone and the freedom of everyone”.
Towards a European security strategy. The Commissioner for Justice, Liberty and Security, Jacques Barrot, stressed the “societal challenge” constituted by security in Europe, particularly as the conventional threats (terrorism, organised crime) have recently evolved to include the threats of climate change, energy supply, CBRN. In the same way, the development of technologies is in full flight, he pointed out, referring to Galileo and the Schengen Information System (SIS). Taking note of these new trends, Mr Barrot said that in conjunction with Günter Verheugen, the Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry, he intended to present a European security strategy to be based partly on the work of the ESRIF. This strategy, which will take the form of a communication, will be presented in spring 2009. It will, amongst other things, support the creation of the European security label to allow the European security market to take off. (B.C./L.B.S./trans.fl)