Brussels, 06/11/2008 (Agence Europe) - To prevent and tackle threats such as organised crime, cybercrime, drug trafficking and illegal border crossing, the European Commission says that the most up to date technology has to be used, but this technology, above all, must not infringe citizens' fundamental rights. “The new security technologies must be acceptable to our citizens, our laws and out values,” said Justice, Freedom and Security Commissioner Jacques Barrot on Tuesday 4 November. He was speaking after the Security & Defence Days 2008 conference in Brussels. Security technologies must also “have an excellent cost-benefit ratio, be easy to use and be interoperable,” he added. He defended the European security technology model that is developing along different lines from that of the United States. “The US tends to spend too much, without targeting its expenditure,” Barrot said, noting, for example, that the purpose of gathering vast amounts of personal data still remained unclear. “So much is gathered that one has to ask oneself if it serves any purpose,” he said. On the other hand, the commissioner said that Europeans tended to neglect the research that was needed in security. Better targeted technology would mean better value for money, and research should develop new possibilities which take account of all security and freedom requirements, Barrot said, lauding the European Security Research and Innovation Forum (ESRIF). “Europe has to steer the middle way between a head-in-the-sand policy, where it is blind and vulnerable, and a policy that puts the emphasis on security, leading inevitably to a closed and closely monitored society,” he argued. “Our citizens want this. They want to live in safety and freedom. It is up to us, political leaders and public service professionals to find, as far as is possible, ways to achieve this balance between freedom and security,” he stated. In the 2007-2013 European budget, €1.4 billion has been set aside for security research in the various Community policies, such as justice and home affairs, transport and energy. (B.C./transl.rt)