ASD advocates for strategic EU investment in civil security R&D
In an article in Science Business, ASD calls for a dedicated EU fund for civil security R&D, urging coherent investment to boost innovation, support SMEs, and strengthen Europe’s technological autonomy.
A Science Business article this week highlights the call from the European aerospace and defence industry for a dedicated EU fund focused on civil security research and deployment. Burkard Schmitt, ASD’s Defence and Security Director said the Commission should consider consolidating all security-related EU instruments into a single European security fund under the Security and Defence heading of the EU budget.
This would include Cluster 3 of Horizon Europe – Civil Security for Society –the smallest of Horizon Europe’s six clusters, with a budget of €1.6 billion, and which focuses on high technology readiness levels. Research priorities include fighting crime and terrorism, border management, critical infrastructure protection, cybersecurity, and managing natural and man-made disasters. Cybersecurity alone accounts for around a third of the spending. However, despite its critical role, Cluster 3’s limited budget raises concerns about its ability to meet the growing civil security challenges facing Europe.
Burkard Schmitt emphasised the need for more coherent investment, saying, “This would allow coherent and cost-efficient links between the planning, research, development, procurement and deployment stages.”
He also stressed that bolstering research and innovation alone is insufficient, calling for “a strategic procurement policy to ensure European end-users adopt EU-funded technologies”.
Burkard Schmitt pointed out the market challenges for civil security innovation, particularly for start-ups and SMEs. He explained: “The transition from R&I to market uptake in civil security is arduous, especially for start-ups and SMEs” with public buyers often prioritising off-the-shelf, low-cost solutions over long-term investment in research.
This article reflects ASD’s advocacy for increased EU investment in civil security R&D, vital for maintaining Europe's technological autonomy and strategic security capabilities. Highlighting procurement policies and the fragmented security market also reflects areas where ASD continues to push for more streamlined and strategic approaches.
Strengthening technological excellence
Robust investment in defence and security research and development (R&D), at both national and EU level, is necessary to enhance technological sovereignty in critical areas and ensure operational superiority against potential adversaries. The defence and security industries constantly push the boundaries of technology and generate spin-offs that reinforce the competitiveness of other sectors, such as civil aviation and space. At the same time, advances in technologies that are essential for enhancing defence and national security capabilities, such as AI or cyber, are now driven mainly by commercial sectors. It is therefore crucial to support all technologies that matter for Europe’s sovereignty and to foster synergies across the traditional divide between the civil and military world.