Enhancing research security in the EU

The overall objective of this service contract is to forward the uptake, operationalisation and implementation of some of the recommendations contained in the Council Recommendation on enhancing research security, which was adopted on May 23, 2024.

The following five areas are in the focus of the work to be done:

1.     Using the open method coordination, notably the ERA governance structures to launch separate strands of policy-related work addressed by the Council recommendation, addressing the main target groups of (representatives of) national governments, research funders and research performers. The SDT will support DG RTD in these efforts;

2.     Working towards the establishment of a European Centre of Expertise in Research Security to underpin the policy-related work in the context of the ERA governance structures;

3.     Establishing the first issue of the EU Research Security Monitor 2025 to provide a baseline of research security policies and measures across the EU at all levels;

4.     Organising an umbrella flagship conference in co-operation with sectoral stakeholders to bring together around 500 experts and parties interested in the broad topic of research security throughout the EU, including participants from selected third countries, in a number of back-to-back policy workshops aimed at sharing information, disseminating results of various work streams and paving the way for next steps in the policymaking process.

5.     Supporting the implementation of a number of smaller-scale tasks for the target groups (see below) related to interpretative guidance on various research security related issues, capacity building and peer learning activities and contributions to the development, operationalization and use of tools and methodologies in the field of research security.