EU civil security research is one of the building blocks of the European Security Union.Since 2021, the Horizon Europe Cluster 3 “civil security for society” focuses on research and innovation for the prevention of, preparedness for and resilience to a wide range of threats to internal security, the security of citizens, critical infrastructure and the security of society as a whole.In doing so, Cluster 3 has been supporting the EU’s open strategic autonomy, its economic security and the competitiveness of its civil security industrial base.Research in this area also supports the implementation of the European Commission political guidelines 2024-2029 for a ‘Safer and more secure Europe’, a ‘Preparedness Union’, with ‘Stronger Common Borders’, protecting democracy and putting research and innovation at the heart of a resilient economy.Concrete expected impacts are elaborated in the Horizon Europe strategic plan 2025-2027, that include:Reducing losses from natural, accidental and human-made disasters;Facilitating legitimate movement of passengers and goods into the EU, while preventing illicit acts;Tackling crime and terrorism more effectively and increasing the resilience of infrastructures;Increasing cybersecurity and making the online environment more secure.For the period 2021-2027, the total allocated budget of the Horizon Europe Cluster 3 “civil security for society” is Euro 1.596 million.Find out more about Innovation and security research and current objectives.
