EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESENTS SECURITY RESEARCH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BRUSSELS 000503 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR OES DEPT FOR ERA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON EUN KNNP PARM TSPA TSPL SUBJECT: EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESENTS SECURITY RESEARCH VIEWS TO EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ¶1. (U) Summary: The European Commission told the European Parliament April 1 that it plans to significantly expand its 7th Framework Directive research program, including on border patrol sensors, maritime security, and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear detection, as well as development of space reconnaissance and UAVs: -- the Commission will commit 1.4 billion euros to security research from 2007-2013 reaching a peak of over 300 million euros/year in 2013, with a similar amount allocated to space research; -- though the remit of the Commission is for civil applications, the Commission is in close contact with the European Defense Agency to identify synergies where specific dual-use technologies can be applied to both civil security as well as military operations; -- the Commission created the Research Executive Agency (REA) to administer space research, incorporate small and medium enterprises in research, and run fellowship programs. However, the Commission will maintain control of security sensitive or political priority programs; -- the European Security Research and Innovation Forum (ESRIF) was created in September, 2007, to develop a public-private dialogue on EU security research agenda items. ¶2. (U) The Chair of the EP's Security and Defense Subcommittee supports devoting significant funds to this to help improve cooperation with the United States. End Summary. -------------- Parliamentary Introduction -------------- ¶3. (U) Pieter De Smet of the DG Enterprise on April 1 presented the Commission's security research plan to the European Parliament's Security and Defense Subcommittee (SEDE) on April 1. ¶4. (U) SEDE Chairman Karl von Wogau led off the session, noting that as the EU sends more military forces on operations, in addition to the increased need for stronger border security, Parliament, and specifically SEDE, need to focus on the technological development required to fulfill these missions. As it stands currently, according to MEP von Wogau, there are substantial shortcomings in Europe's ability to monitor and protect its borders, with weaknesses in both satellite based reconnaissance and telecommunications. To that end, a body made up of researchers, industry, and government officials was created in 2004 to determine what needs to be done to alleviate these shortcomings and to determine to what extend Europe needs a security research infrastructure. The body determined that in order to address civil security needs, the EU needs to invest 1 billion euros per year, spread across technological developments, space assets, and research infrastructure. MEP von Wogau supported this figure, arguing that strong funding for security research is necessary to keep Europe protected as well as guarantee that the EU can engage in cooperation with the U.S. He explained that several space programs already underway are moving toward the necessary capabilities for Europe. The under development programs GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security),with a budget of 1 billion euros, and the Galileo satellite navigation system, which, according to von Wogau, has a clear security dimension, are steps toward this goal. -------------- -- Commission Funding Applied to Security Research -------------- -- ¶5. (U) De Smet explained that under FP7, the Commission's Framework Program for Research from 2007-2013, security research has been allocated 1.4 billion euros, to be distributed in increasing amounts over the course of FP7, culminating in a call for tender totaling over 300 million euros in 2013. During the same time frame, space research will receive the same amount. The first calls for tenders, issued in 2007, totaled approximately 120 million euros, which will be distributed among 44 projects. As of April, approximately a third of these have been fully negotiated and have begun work, while the others still are under BRUSSELS 00000503 002 OF 003 negotiation, in most cases because a security review is still ongoing. In these projects, it is expected that the results will be classified, and special steps need to be taken to ensure the protection of the data generated during the project. De Smet then went on to explain that this year's call will take place in July with a similar amount of money, and the proposal evaluations will conclude at the beginning of February, 2009. -------------- -------------- Commission Cooperation with the European Defense Agency -------------- -------------- ¶6. (U) With the goal of maximizing European investment potential and avoiding duplication, De Smet explained that the Commission is in close communication with the European Defense Agency to identify synergies where technologies can be applied either to civilian or military applications. As a specific example, De Smet used the existing effort to develop unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). UAVs, according to De Smet, have clear applications both to civil border monitoring as well as supporting European military forces in the field. To that end, the Commission has issued a call for tender of 140,000 euros to define a roadmap for the development and use of UAVs, and De Smet verified that the results from that study will be widely disseminated, though no target date was announced. Other areas of collaboration include maritime surveillance (DG Fisheries and Maritime Affairs),space (DG Enterprise),and protection of Europe's southern borders (DG Justice, Freedom, and Security). -------------- -------------- Creation of Research Executive Agency -------------- -------------- ¶7. (U) In order to more efficiently execute specific activities under the Framework Program, the Research Executive Agency (REA) has been established as a Commission external agency to handle many traditionally Commission-designated functions. The REA specifically will be responsible for many aspects of security and space research, activities specific to small and medium enterprises, and fellowships in the People Program such as Marie Curie Actions. The Commission will continue to manage and execute those programs which have a security sensitivity or political priority. Examples given by De Smet include border control; chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear detection, GMES, and money delegated to the European Space Agency, such as that intended for the development of Galileo. REA will manage a budget of approximately 1 billion euros/year. ¶8. (U) In response to MEP von Wogau's question asking why Europe needs a different agency from the European Defense Agency (EDA),De Smet explained that EDA is a military-focused agency, whereas the Commission is responsible for civil projects and works within the Community budget. Additionally, EDA falls under the purview of the European Council, while the Commission holds specific competences separate from the other EU Institutions. REA also goes beyond security research, expanding into space, small and medium enterprises, and Fellowships. However, since there clearly are overlaps between the Commission and REA with EDA, the different organizations will continue to work closely in cooperation through identifying dual-use technologies. -------------- -- European Security Research and Innovation Forum -------------- -- ¶9. (U) In his last major point, De Smet detailed the creation of the European Security Research and Innovation Forum (ESRIF). In an effort to bring together public and private entities in Europe for a dialogue, ESRIF was created as of September, 2007. It has 11 working groups, many designed to parallel the themes in FP7, including chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear detection, innovation and governance, and security of citizens. ESRIF also will develop threat scenarios and analysis in order to shape ideas for expanding or developing capacities. ESRIF currently is working on a report to be delivered at the end of 2009, detailing the European Security Research Agenda. An interim version of this report should be available in September or BRUSSELS 00000503 003 OF 003 October of 2008. Additionally, De Smet explained that one of the tasks for ESRIF is to look at the ethical aspects of the security technologies being proposed in order to guarantee the protection of civil rights. On this task, ESRIF is maintaining close contact with the Civil Liberties, Justice, and Home Affairs Committee of the EP. -------------- Parliamentary Response -------------- ¶10. (U) In general, the MEPs present offered no disputing views to those of Chairman von Wogau. However, on two occasions, De Smet was asked to more clearly define the line between military and civilian projects. Specifically, Vice-Chairwoman Ana-Maria Gomes made a direct comparison between, as she put it, the clear role of space in Europe's civil security with the U.S. and Chinese efforts to militarize, if not "nuclearize," space. De Smet responded that the Commission sees a clear line between military and civilian, and that the Commission will develop technologies for exclusively civilian purposes. It then becomes the choice of the EDA technical experts to decide how to apply that technology to military operations. However, it still remains in the hands of the Council and the Parliament to determine exactly how far the Commission can go in security technology development. Responding specifically in the area of space, De Smet said that the Commission is working closely with EDA to identify synergies. Both GMES and Galileo are being analyzed to determine how they will be applied to security and military applications, though they both are civilian programs. -------------- Comment -------------- ¶11. (SBU) This session reinforced several of the ideas which have been presented over the past year as to the role the Commission will take in the development of security applications. In several instances, representatives from the Commission, Council, and Parliament have all expressed in open fora that projects designed for civil security clearly can have military applications. In those cases, particularly with projects developed using EU funds, such as Galileo or new UAVs, it would be unacceptable to deny EU Forces in the field the most modern technologies. ¶12. (SBU) The opening statement by Chairman von Wogau expressing the need to cooperate with the U.S. on security research has become a clear theme throughout the Commission and Parliament. In particular, after the meeting, De Smet explained to USEU Econ officer that cooperation with the U.S. is a key priority for the Commission, which wants to engage the U.S. on all aspects related to security research. He added however, that the various aspects of security research are held by several DGs, including Enterprise; DG Research; Justice, Freedom, and Security; Fisheries and Maritime Affairs; and Energy and Transport. This makes it complicated for the Commission, with several different groups traveling to the U.S. for meetings with different agencies. De Smet indicated that he will work to keep USEU apprised of developments and initiatives to ensure that all correct USG agencies are aware of and involved in efforts. MURRAY .