Europe today faces a drastically altered security landscape. The rise of organized crime, persistent terrorist threats—especially in public spaces—political extremism, and hybrid threats exacerbated by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine have highlighted the urgent need for a more robust and coordinated security and preparedness architecture.

CoESS Contributions and Key Principles Welcomed

CoESS contributed to the stakeholder consultations that helped shape the EU’s strategic direction. We strongly support the blend of legal and non-legal initiatives proposed in both communications, which aim to bolster civil protection and security across the Union. In particular, we welcome three foundational principles:

1. All-Hazards Approach: Recognising the interconnected nature of today’s risks and their cascading effects across sectors.

2. Whole-of-Government Approach: Promoting vertical and horizontal coordination across EU institutions and Member States.

3. Whole-of-Society Approach: Emphasising the importance of inclusive partnerships that engage civil society, businesses, and social partners, including private security

EU Preparedness Union: A Collective Mindset for Resilience

The Preparedness Union Strategy outlines an integrated approach to anticipate and respond to natural, technological, and human-made crises. It proposes a strategic foresight system to identify emerging risks, facilitate early warning, and enhance resilience.

CoESS particularly welcomes:

• Risk assessments that account for cascading and compounding effects, supporting better strategic foresight and early intervention.

• Breaking down institutional silos at EU and national levels. We welcome the mainstreaming of security into EU policymaking, and the robust enforcement of the Critical Entities Resilience (CER) and NIS2 Directives.

• Strengthening public-private partnerships (PPPs) across citizens, local communities, research institutions, and industries. CoESS particularly appreciates the strong emphasis on collaboration with social partners.

In the area of PPPs, CoESS stresses that, as announced, the EU, public authorities and industry should reinforce mechanisms for: (i) targeted, two-way information sharing; (ii) participation in strategic foresight or anticipatory initiatives; (iii) joint training; and (iv) coordinated response to crises. CoESS also highlights the role of the Revision of the EU Public Procurement Directive for overall resilience of the European economy and security

EU Internal Security Strategy 

The new Internal Security Strategy outlines priority actions to keep the EU safe from current and emerging security challenges. It proposes concrete actions to address terrorism, cyber threats, and the protection of critical infrastructure and public spaces.

CoESS particularly supports:

• Enhanced protection of public spaces, aviation, and maritime environments.

• Investment in strategic technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and next-generation connectivity solutions.

• The Internal Market Emergency and Resilience Act (IMERA), which will be instrumental in managing crises that disrupt supply chains and the free movement of goods, services, and people.

• The Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems (C-UAS) Package, which is crucial for countering emerging threats in increasingly digitised and drone-accessible environments.

The Security Industry Commitment to Continued Engagement

CoESS is committed to actively supporting the implementation of these strategies. We will continue engaging with the European Commission through Social Dialogue, EU Expert Groups, and initiatives such as the EU Ports Alliance. The CoESS Event "Technology meets Security: Shaping the future of Public Security and Preparedness", taking place on 04 June in Brussels, will be a first opportunity for CoESS members and the security community to discuss the various actions with the European Commission.