EU-US Explosives Experts' Seminar Highlights Strengthened Cooperation

The 11th EU-US Explosives Experts' Seminar took place in Brussels from 17-19 September. This seminar is co-organized by the European Commission, Europol, and the US Joint Program Office for Countering Improvised Explosive Devices. 

Around 120 experts attended from EU Member States, the United States (including representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Defense (DoD), and U.S. Mission to Belgium), as well as the European Commission, Europol, NATO and Norway. Ukraine participated as an observer with 10 experts.

The seminar continued to foster strong cooperation and provided a platform for sharing information, best practices, and enhancing EU-US joint actions in explosives security. It reviewed recent policy developments, the evolving threat landscape, and the joint efforts in protecting public spaces and critical infrastructure since the last meeting in 2022.

Three breakout sessions covered technical exchanges on the following areas: 

• the protection of public spaces and special events, 
• current and emerging threats, including developments in Ukraine and on counter-drones/C-UAS),
• explosive precursor chemical security. 

Conclusions from each session included recommendations for enhancing cooperation in four key areas: public space protection, explosive detection (including dogs), precursor chemical security, and C-UAS systems. These discussions were summarized in a draft Joint Statement, which will be finalised in the coming weeks and presented at the EU-US JHA Ministerial meeting in December.

The ongoing EU-US cooperation and technical work strands are continuing to develop the work priorities set by the EU-US Explosive Expert Seminar.  

The next EU-US explosives expert seminar is planned for 2026, possibly in the United States.