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Important developments
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CoESS Extraordinary and Ordinary Annual General Assembly
September 30, 2010
Brussels
The 2010 CoESS General Assemblies will take place in Brussels, Belgium, on September 30, 2010. Traditionally, in order to limit travel and accommodation expenses for all attendees, some CoESS Working Committees, i.e. the CoESS Working Committee Electronic Surveillance, the CoESS Working Committee Guarding and the CoESS Working Committee Critical Infrastructure, have also decided to meet in Brussels on September 30, 2010. For further information, please consult the CoESS General Assemblies event page.
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| 13/08/2010 |
ASSA-I and CoESS have jointly published a White Paper on 'A European Solution for Third Party Liability of the
Aviation Security Providers'. This White Paper has a threefold aim: to give an overview, focused on the airport
security industry, of the current problems caused by third party liability exposure as a result of terrorism or acts
of war; to show the need for the EU to find an urgent and necessary solution; and to propose some thoughts on finding
answers to this tremendous challenge. In this document, CoESS and ASSA-I present certain critical issues relating to
the performance of aviation security services as well as some thoughts to finding a rational solution to this problem;
a solution covering all EU Member States. ASSA-I and CoESS stress the importance of the topics addressed in their joint
White Paper. They call upon the European Commission to analyse these issues and consider the necessary follow-up.
CoESS and ASSA-I recognise their responsibilities and are ready to play an active role in finding a concrete solution.
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| 04/08/2010 |
 On September 15, 2010, adjacent to the Ligue Internationale des Sociétés de Surveillance's 33rd
General Assembly and Conference in Istanbul, Turkey, GÜSOD, the Turkish private security association, active
member of CoESS, will organise a celebratory dinner in honour of its 10-year membership within CoESS. On September
16-17, 2010 GÜSOD will organise a two-day topical Seminar on private security dealing with four specific topics:
'Worldwide Accepted Solution for the CIT Business: Outsourcing', 'Turkish and International Approach towards Private
Security – Developments and Changes in the Private Security Industry', 'Active and Effective Use of Electronic Security
Concepts and their Contribution to Security Employees' and ‘Port Security Applications within the Framework of the ISPS
Code'. On September 18, 2010 GÜSOD will kindly host the CoESS Working Committee Maritime Security.
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| 23/07/2010 |
On July 23, 2010 the European Commission published its Staff Working Document on the functioning and potential
of the European Sectoral Social Dialogue. This document aims to take stock of the main achievements of the
European Sectoral Social Dialogue and to review the functioning of the European Sectoral Social Dialogue Committees.
It highlights the dynamics, outcomes and social impact of the Committees' work since 1998. It identifies possible
improvements with a view to extending the scope and quality of the consultation and negotiation processes.
The Commission intends to encourage the European and national sectoral social partners to make full use of their
capacity to negotiate, reinforce their administrative capacity and representativeness and create synergies between
sectors. The Commission will continue to foster integration of new players as well as better participation of new
Members States' representatives. This assessment of European Sectoral Social Dialogue over the last 12 years shows
the value of its contribution to the European social model. It shows that there is a direct correlation between
the effectiveness of national Social Dialogue and effectiveness at European level, and that each energises the other.
It highlights the need for Sectoral Social Dialogue Committees to face up to the need to adapt to new challenges and
changes in policy. The current economic crisis has confirmed the importance of European Social Dialogue at both
cross-industry and sectoral level, as well as the relevance of social partner initiatives tailored to the realities
of companies and sectors.
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| 20/07/2010 |
On July 19, 2010, in the framework of the European Social Dialogue, CoESS and seven other signatory social partner
employers' and trade unions' organisations, i.e. HOSPEEM, CEMR, EFEE, EuroCommerce, EPSU, UNI Europa and ETUCE, agreed
the 'Multi-sectoral Guidelines to Tackle Third-Party Violence and Harassment related to Work'. The aim of
these Guidelines is to ensure that each workplace has a results-oriented policy which addresses the issue of third-party
violence. The Guidelines set out the practical steps that can be taken by employers, workers and their representatives / trade
unions to reduce, prevent and mitigate problems. The steps reflect the best practices developed in the five sectors mentioned
above and they can be complemented by more specific and/or additional measures. With the support of the European Commission,
the multi-sectoral social partners organised two major conferences in Brussels on March 14, 2008 and October 22, 2009 at which
the employers' and trade unions' research into third-party violence (‘RESPECT: Multi-sectoral Initiative on Third-Party Violence
at the Workplace') was presented along with case studies and joint conclusions. The Guidelines build on these concrete
initiatives and complement the Cross-Sectoral Framework Agreement on Harassment and Violence at Work of April 26, 2007.
Click here to consult the Guidelines in the following language versions:
French,
German,
Swedish,
Spanish
and Russian.
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| 03/07/2010 |
On June 15, 2010 the UK Security Industry Authority (SIA) held its Annual Conference at The Kings Fund, London,
United Kingdom. Titled ‘A Common Purpose – Raising Standards in the Private Security Industry', the event aimed
to encourage further development and progress by the industry, including examples of business best practice and
the latest news from the SIA. The conference was well attended with around 200 delegates including enforcement
partners, security providers and buyers of security. SIA Chairman Baroness Ruth Henig opened the conference and
spoke on how everyone in the private security industry can work together more closely, the progress of regulation,
areas of improvement and the vision for the industry. Hilde De Clerck, Secretary-General of CoESS, delivered a
speech on ‘An International View of Private Security'. For further information on this event, please consult the
UK Security Industry Authority website.
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| 18/06/2010 |
The United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice decided in 2009 at its 18th session
in its Resolution 18/2 to establish an ad hoc open-ended intergovernmental expert group , to be composed of
experts of the academic world and the private sector, with the aim of studying the role of civilian private security
services and their contribution to crime prevention and community safety. In preparation of the establishment of this
expert group, the UN Commission, in close cooperation with the UAE Government, organised a planning meeting in
Abu Dhabi on May 10-11, 2010. The objective of this planning meeting was to preliminary discuss the parameters of the
UN Commission's mandated request. CoESS' Secretary-General, Hilde De Clerck, was invited as an NGO-expert to partake
in the discussions on behalf of CoESS. The outcomes of the planning meeting were twofold: the experts present submitted
a first set of recommendations and an informal Steering Committee has been established to further prepare the
UN Commission's work.
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| 14/06/2010 |
(update original news item of March 1, 2010)
On September 14-15, 2010 TranSec World Expo enters its 8th year with the name change to
Transport Security Expo and Conference.
Transport Security is the only event globally to bring together the full spectrum of key stakeholders and industry
leaders from the areas of aviation, maritime and the
supply chain under one roof, creating three events in one. The event features an exhibition,
conferences, workshops and networking receptions to bring together all aspects of the industries it serves to review
the latest information on current and future threats, debate best practice, gauge industry opinion and review the
latest technologies. Transport Security moves to London for 2010 and will take place in the
world-renowned Olympia Conference and Exhibition Centre. Discounted registration fees are available to all CoESS and
ASSA-I members who wish to attend the Transport Security Expo and Conference. For further information, please contact
either the CoESS General Secretariat (Ms. Leen Van Sand: lvs@i-b-s.be )
or the ASSA-I General Secretariat (Ms. Roxanne Vande Zande: rvz@i-b-s.be).
Please click here to download the
official press release for the conference. The full programme for the aviation security conference can be found
here. The full programme for
the maritime security conference can be found here.
Please click here to download
the timetable for the different workshops that are being organised.
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| 03/06/2010 |
In April-May 2010, the International Discussion Forum, now comprised of the security organisations of Asia,
Australia, Brazil, India, New-Zealand, Russia, South-Africa and the United States, looked into the topic of ‘licensing'.
To consult the results of this fourth questionnaire, please click
here. To download the annexes referred to in this overview by the Australian security organisation,
please click here.
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| 12/05/2010 |
On May 4, 2010 NAFTSO,
the Bulgarian National Association of Industrial Security Companies,
active member of CoESS, organised an Information Session regarding the 'Harmonisation of Private
Security Services in Europe in light of the Implementation of Directive 2006/123/EC (EU Directive on Services
in the internal market) ' in Sofia, Bulgaria. The Information Session welcomed a great number of both
private and public delegates keen to discuss the topic in detail. Among the invitees present were: members
of NAFTSO and managers of Bulgarian private security companies, members of CoESS and its Working Committee Guarding,
representatives of the Bulgarian Parliament, Government and other public institutions, representatives of
national employers' organisations, non-governmental organisations, universities and vocational training centres.
Hilde De Clerck, Secretary-General of CoESS, delivered a presentation detailing the latest state of play
throughout Europe and highlighting CoESS' many activities and actions in this field. The Bulgarian Ministry of
Economy, Energy and Tourism representative in turn presented the Bulgarian viewpoint on the implementation of
the EU Directive on Services. Both presentations were followed by an interesting debate with and among the
conference delegates.
|
| 10/05/2010 |
The CoESS Working Committee Guarding is proud to announce the finalisation of its 'Private Security Services
Family Tree'. The Private Security Services Family Tree provides a detailed overview of all the activities
which CoESS' member federations consider ‘private security services'. In addition, it briefly discusses which
activities are considered ‘public order services', which are generally not considered as private security services,
and 'private military services', which, in CoESS' view, are definitely not part of private security services.
The Family Tree has been ratified by both the CoESS Working Committee Guarding and the CoESS Board of Directors.
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| 12/04/2010 |
In March 2010, the International Discussion Forum, comprised of the security organisations of Asia, Australia,
Brazil, Russia, South-Africa and the United States, looked into the topic of ‘legislation'. To consult the results
of this third questionnaire, please click here.
|
| 16/03/2010 |
On March 10, 2010 the Bulgarian National Association of Industrial Security Companies (NAFTSO),
active member of CoESS, concluded an agreement with the Bulgarian Guards and Security Employees National Trade Union
(GSENTU) aimed at further developing the Social Dialogue in the private security sector in the Republic of Bulgaria
according to the principles and model of the European Sectoral Social Dialogue as established by the Confederation
of European Security Services (CoESS) and its trade union counterpart at European level, UNI Europa. Through this
agreement, NAFTSO and GSENTU agree to take joint actions aimed at: reducing the negative effects of the socio-economic
crisis for private security companies and their employees, combating undeclared work and promoting the best value
principle. Both parties agree to work together to: determine a minimum social insurance threshold, improve working
conditions for private security guards, improve private security regulations, develop the private security sector and
its Social Dialogue through joint programmes and projects and to apply the Code of Ethics for the private security
industry in Bulgaria.
|
| 26/02/2010 |
In January-February 2010, the International Discussion Forum, comprised of the security organisations of Asia,
Australia, Brazil, Russia, South-Africa and the United States, looked into the topic of 'quality'. To consult the
results of this second questionnaire, please click here.
|
| 21/01/2010 |
The CoESS Board of Directors and the CoESS General Secretariat were deeply saddened to learn of
Mr. Jørgen Philip-Sørensen's death. Jørgen Philip-Sørensen was Chairman
and Chief Executive of Group 4 Securitas (International) BV between 1964 and 2000 and was then Chairman
of the Board of Group 4 Falck A/S from 2000 until the merger with Securicor in 2004.
Jørgen Philip-Sørensen chaired the Board of Group 4 Securicor (now G4S) until his retirement
in June 2006, when he became President Emeritus. He died at the age of 71 in Switzerland on January 18, 2010.
He held a number of directorships for commercial and charitable entities, including Ecover International BV,
Skagen Food A/S, Danish Yacht A/S, Skagen Harbor, Dormy House Hotel, Sorven Holdings Limited,
Cotswold Conference Centre Limited and the Foundation for Liver Research.
Jørgen Philip-Sørensen was very highly respected throughout the entire CoESS community.
His contributions to our sector were many and varied. As a true architect, he shaped the private security
industry as it exists today. Both the CoESS Board of Directors and the CoESS General Secretariat have expressed
their heartfelt condolences to Mrs. Philip-Sørensen and the family. For further information, please consult
the G4S website.
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| 29/12/2009 |
Following the CoESS Academic Session and General Assemblies of September 30-October 1, 2009,
the security organisations of Asia, Australia, Brazil, Russia, South-Africa and the United States
discussed and jointly agreed to build and promote closer cooperation between them through the
creation of an International Discussion Forum aimed at exchanging information and best practice.
To facilitate this communication flow, it was decided to assign a focus theme to each month to identify
and exchange information in a structured manner. For the coming 6 months, the following themes will be addressed:
training, quality, legislation, licensing, image building (including PR and communication) and external relations
(with governments, social partners, national and international federations and organisations). The focus themes
are applicable to all segments of the security industry ranging from guarding, aviation security, maritime security,
critical infrastructure protection, transport security and electronic surveillance to supply chain security.
To consult the interim results of the first questionnaire that was sent out in December 2009 and designed
to gather global information on the topic of ‘training', please click here.
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| 22/12/2009 |
On December 22, 2009 the European Commission, DG Enterprise and Industry, officially published its final report on the ‘Competitiveness of the European Security Industry'. This final report was commissioned by the European Commission within the context of the Framework Contract on Sector Competitiveness Studies (ENTR/06/054) and sets out to provide a picture of the current situation of the EU security industry, its structure and organisation, competitiveness position and challenges for the future. The approach for the study is based on a general assessment of the EU security industry, combined with more detailed analyses of specific segments seen as important given current EU security priorities. Accordingly, it provides a widely representative assessment of the EU security industry enabling a broad range of policy issues and potential responses to be identified. The final report can be downloaded from the European Commission website.
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| 10/12/2009 |
On Tuesday, December 8, 2009, CoESS and ALMEGA, the Swedish Private Security Association, in collaboration with the Swedish Transport Workers' Union, launched the Second European Summit on Private Security, which took place at Hotel Berns Salongers in Stockholm, Sweden. This edition was a sequel to the First European Summit on Private Security that was organised by CoESS and INHES, Institut National des Hautes Etudes de Sécurité, in December 2008 in Paris, France, under the auspices of the French Presidency of the European Union. The Second Summit brought together some 180 stakeholders from all European countries, including the 27 EU Member States, active in the field of private and public security. CoESS and ALMEGA were honoured to welcome a representative of the Swedish Presidency of the European Union, Beatrice Ask, Swedish Minister of Justice, who delivered the keynote speech on a Nordic Model of public-private security partnership. The Summit had a double ambition. On the one hand, it discussed public-private security partnerships from a Nordic perspective. On the other, it offered the ideal platform to broaden CoESS' Awareness-Raising Campaign advocating a more coherent, global and integrated approach towards private security in the European Union. A debate was organised to discuss the future of the private security sector focusing on a variety of themes: harmonisation of legislation, models of cooperation, quality of services and new security services all set against a challenging economic backdrop. Through these discussions, CoESS, ALMEGA and their representatives highlighted the key role and growing importance of private security both at European and at national level, not only quality- and quantity-wise, but also increasingly in the public domain. On the occasion of this event, CoESS and ALMEGA presented an updated version of the joint White Paper that was first published in December 2008 (‘Private Security and its Role in European Security'). The 2009 edition, entitled 'Private and public security in the Nordic countries', available in English and in Swedish, consists of two parts. Part I comprises an update of the European private security landscape and Part II focuses on private and public security from a Nordic perspective. |
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| 01/12/2009 |
On November 27, 2009 the upcoming Spanish, Belgian and Hungarian EU Presidencies launched their 18-month programme
covering the period of January 2010 to June 2011. It is presented in two parts. The first part contains the strategic
framework for the programme, setting it in a wider context, and specifically within the perspective of more long-term
objectives running into the subsequent Presidencies. For this reason, in accordance with the Council's rules of
procedure, the future Polish, Danish and Cypriot Presidencies have been consulted on this section. The second part
constitutes the operational programme setting out the issues which are expected to be covered during the 18-month
period. To review the 18-month programme, please consult the Council of the European Union website.
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| 27/11/2009 |
During their European Sectoral Social Dialogue Plenary Meeting of November 23, 2009, the social partners for the
private security sector, UNI Europa representing private security employees and CoESS the employers, officially
adopted their joint 2010-2011 Working Programme. Please click here to download the 2010-2011 CoESS/UNI Europa
Working Programme.
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| 22/10/2009 |
On October 22, 2009 the joint European Conference entitled ‘RESPECT – Effective Approaches to Tackling
Third Party Violence in the Workplace' took place at the Hilton Hotel in Brussels. The Conference was part
of an EU-funded Social Dialogue project managed by the European Hospital and Healthcare Employers
Association (HOSPEEM) along with project partners CCRE-CEMR Employers Platform, CoESS, EuroCommerce and in
cooperation with the European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) and UNI Europa. The Conference
aimed to take stock of the findings gathered throughout the project, present good practice and to explore
this subject further in order to establish whether joint multi-sectoral action is required at European level
to help address the challenges of third party violence in the workplace. Hilde De Clerck, Secretary-General
of CoESS, participated in the afternoon panel discussion together with representatives from the European
Commission and from the project partners involved. The Conference was concluded by the drafting of a joint
HOSPEEM/CCRE-CEMR/CoESS/EuroCommerce/EPSU/UNI Europa commitment on Third Party Violence at Work.
The multisectoral instrument envisaged by this commitment will complement the 2007 cross-sectoral agreement
on violence and harassment at work, concluded by ETUC, BusinessEurope, UEAPME and CEEP. To consult the final conference report, please click here.
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| 09/10/2009 |
On October 1, 2009 the CoESS Working Committee Electronic Surveillance officially presented its
White Paper entitled ' Alarm Receiving Centres: A Central Function in the European Security Landscape
– Today and Tomorrow '. The White Paper describes the history and current and future issues of the
Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) activity in the European private security landscape. Its purpose is to give
a better understanding to security industry players and national and European policymakers of this manned
guarding activity, which is a full part of private security services, the needs for its development and
the conditions of collaboration with Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs). The White Paper explains the
viewpoint of CoESS as a European Confederation that tries to harmonise the interests of the industry,
policymakers, governments and Law Enforcement Agencies as well as end users/customers and tries to
contribute to an improved security environment. CoESS wishes to thank all CoESS Working Committee
Electronic Surveillance members for devoting their time and effort to the development of this White Paper
as part of the CoESS Working Committee Electronic Surveillance Working Programme 2008-2009.
Please click here to download the White Paper.
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| 09/10/2009 |
On September 29-30, 2009, the Fourth European Security Research Conference (SRC) 2009 was organised
in Stockholm, Sweden. The annual Conference has, since its start, been a major component in the evolution
of civil European security research. The Fourth Conference was organised by the Swedish Governmental Agency
for Innovation Systems under the Swedish Presidency of the European Union. The event brought together
around 600 representatives from research, industry, European Institutions, public authorities and other
stakeholders with a keen interest in the security of Europe's citizens. For Europe's researchers, innovators,
engineers, policy and business decision makers in the field of security research, this was the event of the
year to influence the shaping of policies and research options for Europe's future. The Conference was part
of the actions undertaken under the European Security Research Programme (ESRP) the EU's 7 th Framework
Programme for Research and Development (FP7). On September 29, 2009 CoESS' Secretary-General,
Hilde De Clerck, was invited to speak in one of the parallel sessions. Her presentation can be found on
the Conference website. All Conference materials, presentations and video clips are also available for
download on the Conference website. |
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CoESS' 20 years' celebration on the occasion
of the CoESS General Assembly
September 30-October 2, 2009
Rome, Italy
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| 09/09/2009 |
On September 3, 2009 FederSicurezza officially published the English edition of its 2009 Report and
Outlook entitled ‘2009 Report from FederSicurezza: realities and scenarios in Italian private security
in the European context', as a sequel to the 2008 edition. The Report provides a comprehensive analysis
of the Italian private security industry and offers various perspectives into the Italian situation in
a European context. This new ‘snapshot' does not differ substantially from that which was illustrated
during the presentation of the first report in May 2008. But this is only an apparent ‘dead calm',
especially if certain data are associated with the evolutions in progress in the sector and with the
macroeconomic conjuncture. For further information, please consult the FederSicurezza website (Italian).
To download the English edition of the 2009 Report, please click here.
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| 05/06/2009 |
From June 3-4, 2009 CoESS and ASSA-I actively participated in the TranSec World Expo that was
organised in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. TranSec brought together the leading technologists and
thinkers in two days of informed debate on current issues and challenges within the transport arena.
This year, special focus was given to aviation and maritime security through two thematic conferences:
Aviation Security Conference and Maritime & Supply Chain Security Conference. Ms. Hilde De Clerck,
Secretary-General of CoESS and ASSA-I, chaired the Aviation Security Conference on both days.
The presentations that were given during both thematic conferences will soon be made available
on the TranSec website.
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| 03/04/2009 |
From June 3-4, 2009 TranSec World Expo 2009 celebrates its 7th year with an expanded conference and workshop programme. TranSec brings together the leading technologists and thinkers in two days of informed debate on current issues and challenges within the transport arena. This year, special focus is given to aviation and maritime security through two thematic conferences:
- Aviation Security Conference
- Maritime & Supply Chain Security Conference
As CoESS and ASSA-I's Secretary-General, Ms. Hilde De Clerck, agreed to speak during the TranSec World Expo 2009, interesting registrations fees are available to all CoESS and ASSA-I members who wish to attend one of both Conferences. For further information, please contact either the CoESS General Secretariat (Ms. Leen Van Sand: lvs@i-b-s.be) or the ASSA-I General Secretariat (Ms. Roxanne Vande Zande: rvz@i-b-s.be).
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| 12/03/2009 |
On October 15-16, 2008 CoESS and UNI Europa organised their joint 5th Private Security Conference entitled ‘From Brussels to the Workplace – A European action plan 2008 for the implementation and follow-up of the European Social Dialogue in the private security sector'. The Conference was organised in the framework of the European Sectoral Social Dialogue and was funded by the European Commission (DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities). CoESS and UNI Europa have now published the final project report, the final research report and the country overviews of the research undertaken by the Free University of Brussels (ULB) under the auspices of CoESS and UNI Europa. The documents are available in English, French and German:
- Please click here to consult the final project report
- Please click here to consult the final research report in English
- Please click here to consult the final research report in French
- Please click here to consult the final research report in German
- Please click here to consult the country overviews in English (.zip file)
- Please click here to consult the country overviews in French (.zip file)
- Please click here to consult the country overviews in German (.zip file)
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AVAILABLE NOW!
'Private Security in Europe – CoESS Facts & Figures 2008'
CoESS is proud to present the official outcomes of its research project 'Private Security in Europe – CoESS Facts & Figures 2008 ' , which was initiated earlier this year and aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the private security industry. The study covers a wide geographical area targeting a total of 34 countries, i.e. the 27 EU Member States as well as 7 other European countries: Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland and Turkey. It allows for an updated and accurate outline of the private security sector focusing on the legal, social and economic realities within the 34 countries, and looks to identify similarities and differences among these countries. CoESS' Facts & Figures 2008 is the only available analysis at European level to offer representative and exhaustive statistical and factual information about the European private security industry today!
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