Security Research Event 2023

The European Commission (DG HOME) regularly organises the Security Research Event (SRE), bringing together policy makers, researchers, security practitioners and industry to discuss the state of play and challenges for security research in Europe. Organised with the support of Spain and Sweden, this year’s SRE edition took place on 24-25 October 2023 in Brussels. The more than 1000 participants, coming from across Europe and beyond, discussed how to make the EU more resilient when facing global megatrends, which are shifting the ground for security in the EU. The main themes were embraced by the event’s title: “Societal transformation, digitalisation and climate change – a new paradigm for Security Research?”

CERIS experts played a key role in making this event a success, by actively participating as master of ceremony and panelists in the discussions, by explaining EU research projects and CERIS in the exhibition area and last but not least by being among the winners of the Security Innovation Award and by networking among the participants.

​​​​​​In her opening statement, Commissioner Johansson underlined the role of EU security research in making our society more resilient, giving concrete examples how tools stemming from research help the relevant authorities in combatting drugs trafficking and child sexual abuse, and how police can use artificial intelligence accountably. These tools enable authorities to act, not just to react.

In the High-Level Round Table, the panelists underlined the importance of foresight: with the increasingly strong impacts of climate change, looking into the past to understand the most likely future scenarios is not sufficient.

The other panels discussed:

1. Cascading effects of crises: a new challenge for security research or just more of old troubles?
2. Participative resilience: citizens as owners of their own security and as contributors to EU societal resilience.
3. Natural, accidental and intentional disasters of the future: are we prepared?
4. Digitalisation of society: new threats, new opportunities, new responses?
5. Foreseeing risks, developing EU capabilities: can we do more?

During the Security Innovation Award 2023 ceremony​, awards were handed out to one winner and two runners-up by Director HOME.F, Marta Cygan. “T4i Dover" won the Security Innovation Award 2023, the award for Best Innovation with strong Societal Impact was given to “Community Policing in Lisbon – Safer Communities", while “CRYPTOPOL" resulted the Best Freeware Innovation.

In his concluding remarks, Deputy Director General Olivier Onidi underlined that EU security research is a success story, enabling Member States' authorities to face crime and preventing crisis. However, even more needs to be done to keep European Union safe and resilient. He concluded remarking how a closer link between research and other funding programmes is necessary to achieve European Union goals.

In addition to the conference, the SRE 2023 hosted an exhibition with over 40 EU-funded security research projects presenting their results and latest innovations. The European Commission, JHA agencies, Spain, Sweden and CERIS also presented their security research activities. The exhibition was complemented by demos from selected EU projects, as well as the STARLIGHT ToolFest, where STARLIGHT's technology providers demoed tools intended for Law Enforcement Agencies to the stakeholders present.

Watch the wrap-up video