The four security missions on which EU stakeholders are focusing, i.e. Protection against terrorism and organised crime, Border security, Critical infrastructure protection, and Restoring security in case of crisis require a comprehensive suite of internal and external security instruments covering intelligence, police, judicial, economic and technological means.

The current threats facing society being numerous, complex, and fluid, challenges ahead are in fact tremendously high. The European Union represents around 500 million citizens having the right to move freely throughout the area, and 1636 designated points of entry.

Almost 600 terrorist attacks - failed, foiled or successfully executed - were recorded in 2007 in 11 Member States. In terms of potential targets or critical infrastructures / areas to protect, the Union counts among others 17 large cities with more than 1 million inhabitants; 100 airports with an annual passenger traffic superior to 3 million passengers; 215 stadiums existing or in construction, with a capacity of more than 30 000 seats; 390 large water plants; 145 nuclear facilities …

Successful progress has been made over the last few years.

Besides the European Commission Directorate General “Enterprise and Industry” that is in charge of the Security research theme within the European Union’s 7th RTD Framework Programme - FP7 with a total 2007-2013 budget of about €1.4 billion, other European Commission DGs and EU coordinating agencies are also strongly involved in security, such as: the DG “Freedom, Security and Justice” with its Security and Safeguarding Liberties Programme (2007-2013 budget: 745 M€); the DG “Joint Research Centre” with its Institute for Protection and Security of the Citizen; the DG “Information, Society and Media” with its Security Unit; the Research Executive Agency (REA), a funding body created by the EC to foster excellence in research and innovation, and whose Unit S3 Security Research supports DG Enterprise in the management of the Security theme of the FP7; Frontex, the EU agency created to coordinate the operational cooperation between Member States in the field of border security …

Recurrent research/innovation events are also organised such as the European Security Research Conferences – SRC (Oostende in September 2010, after Stockholm, Paris, Berlin and Vienna).

In December 2009 the European Union adopted the Stockholm five-year strategic programme for development in the field of Justice, Freedom and Security, which aims to ensure respect for fundamental rights and freedoms and integrity while guaranteeing security in Europe.

In December 2009 too, the European Security Research and Innovation Forum – ESRIF, established two years ago at the joint initiative of the EC and the 27 EU Members States, presented its final report. While not exhaustive, this document elaborated by the 65 ESRIF members, and more than 600 experts, proposes a European Security Research and Innovation Agenda (ESRIA) over the next 20 years.

But in some fields progress has been slow and less clear-cut, mainly due to the specific characteristics of the security sector.

The security sector is today highly fragmented in terms of market segments to address at local, national, EU, and international levels. From a demand perspective there can be overlap in terms of the allocation of responsibilities (EU vs. MS, public vs. private provision, civil vs. defence) and of the role of different demanders of security products or services.

Security threat perceptions and regulatory frameworks and governmental responses are some of the main drivers of the security market. Changes in the modus operandi of terrorists, of organised crimes, or the occurrence of new types of catastrophic events/crises influence indeed both the overall level of demand for equipment and the types of security capabilities and solutions required by the market. While also a response to changes in security perception, legislation and regulations setting out security and requirements and obligations play a strong role in shaping demand for security products and services.

The security supply industry structure is also highly fragmented: various sectors involved; numerous types of product/ systems/ services offers and corresponding value chains; coexistence of players of different sizes, from SMEs operating on niche markets to large international groups proposing global security systems ... And it is very delicate both for industrial and research organisations and for Public Authorities to rapidly and properly identify potential partners, new comers, innovative actors.

The European Security Directory, built on the success and experience of ESD Partners (our European Space Directory exists since 1985), represents a unique structured tool for useful contacts. In this moving and challenging security sector, this Directory aims at advocating for the reconnaissance of a European Security Technological and Industrial Base, and at offering European companies and organisations the opportunity to find partners and to be found.

With this third edition, we do not of course cover all the European players active in the highly fragmented security field – about 625 companies/groups (including group subsidiaries or divisions with specific security technological or industrial capabilities), 800 SMEs, 675 labs and research centres are identified in our in-house database. However, we have done, as in the previous years, our best to provide our readers with most up-to-date and accurate information and we are confident that the next editions will be fuller and richer than this one.

I would like to thank therefore all the companies, organisations and institutions who are present in this edition and made this working tool possible. Hoping you will find it of the greatest use, I wish you, like each year, every success in a safer world.