EOS 1st High-Level Public-Private Security Roundtable under the patronage of Commissioner Malmström
“EOS is proud to celebrate its successful events of February 9th as a breakthrough for European security.”
On February 9th, the Berlaymont became the cradle of security in Europe, and EOS played an indispensable role in allowing all stakeholders to freely talk for the first time about concrete pragmatic steps that the EU could implement in the security domain, a domain traditionally reserved to Member States’ competences. With this, the event has achieved a milestone.
Organized under the High Patronage of EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, the first EOS High Level Public-Private Security Roundtable constituted a unique and intimate meeting between highest representatives from the public and private side. Indeed, the event was attended by EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström, Commissioner for Transport Siim Kallas and Commissioner for Industry Antonio Tajani, representatives from the Hungarian EU Presidency, the Council, the European Parliament, member states, EU agencies (ENISA, EUROPOL) and EOS. High-level representatives from the cabinets and Directorate Generals also participated.
With an increase in terrorist activities, organized crime and the frequency of natural disasters as caused by climate change coupled with currents trends towards decreased public spending and budget cuts, Europe is at a crossroad. The Roundtable therefore explored options of how the public and private side can together sustain Europe’s level of well-being, employment, security and European competitiveness. How can public resources be most efficiently pooled using new EU instruments on innovation? Have they found a way to unlock existing underexploited funding, to streamline existing budgets, and to align them with policy priorities? What EU instruments can Europe leverage on to promote an actual and consistent implementation of a comprehensive end-to-end security approach in Europe so as to not leave gaps in its protection? Furthermore, going beyond the “usual public-public dialogue”, this High Level Security Roundtable assessed the economic and technological issues linked to the implementation of the envisaged actions of EU security policies (e.g. actions of the Internal Security Strategy) and the needed supportive measures, also in view of the ongoing discussions on the future EU financial perspectives.
While having been held off-the-record, limited material on the event is publicly available. Please see:
SECOND EDITION: The Roundtable, taking place at the Berlaymont building and by invitation only, was the first in a series of annual high-level meetings to assess the implementation of the European Internal Security Strategy and to recommend concrete actions to be taken for further implementation in the future. EOS will soon start organizing the second edition to be held during the Danish EU Presidency. Information will follow soon on EOS’ website.