RESEARCH: FURTHER STEP TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION OF SECURITY PROGRAMME.

The Commission will establish a European Security Research Advisory Board in the Autumn, which will offer opinions on the content of ESRP and its implementation. This Board should comprise experts from the various groups concerned (users, industry and research organisations) and will be co-ordinated by the Commission.

Subscribing to the High Level Group's recommendation to establish an ESRP to be launched in 2007, the Commission proposes to launch an inter-institutional debate to obtain a consensus on the programme, drawing on the "preparatory action" launched in March of this year and due to conclude in 2006 (see below). The programme proposal will be tabled at the beginning of 2005 and will cover its content, the multi-annual financial plan and the institutional context for an ESRP in the FP7. The ESRP should be implemented as a "specific programme" with its own procedures (adapted to confidentiality requirements), participation rules, contracts and funding mechanisms.

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In March 2004, the Commission launched a three-year "Preparatory Action" in the field of security research. With a budget of Euro 15 million for 2004 and Euro 25 million a year for 2005 and 2006, the Preparatory Action is a first step towards a full ESRP from 2007. The first call for proposals closed on June 23 and over 170 eligible proposals were submitted. Participants include companies in the aerospace, information & communication technologies, system integrators and defence sectors. Twelve projects will be launched by December, covering areas such as situation awareness, protection of networked systems, protection against terrorism, crisis management...