Council of the EU Calls for More Research Security Guidance

New recommendations adopted by the Council of the European Union this week call on the European Commission to create a new body to oversee research security efforts and for member states to issue guidance to universities on how to best protect their sensitive research.

The recommendations stemmed from proposals issued by the commission in January, which included suggestions for the bloc to better restrict exports of dual-use technologies and screen inbound and outbound investment transactions (see 2401240078). One proposal was aimed at giving “more clarity, guidance and support” to member states and universities to mitigate research security risks, and the council on May 23 said it turned that suggestion into a 27-page document.

One recommendation said the European Commission should consider creating a “European Center of Expertise on Research Security,” a body that would bring together experts from member states to “explore and assess options” for new research security policies. The council also said member states should create “national guidelines” for researchers, establish “support services” to help them deal with risks that may come from international research cooperation, and more.

The recommendations are “mainly” meant to address issues surrounding the “undesirable transfer of knowledge” within European universities, the council said. It noted that none of the suggestions is “binding.”

Willy Borsus, a Belgium official whose country holds the Council of the EU presidency, said the recommendations have been a “priority” for his country. “While we are open to knowledge exchange and international cooperation in the field of research, we should not be naive. The changing geopolitical context urgently requires our joint response to avoid [the] use of our own research against our security or our values,” Borsus said. "The scientific community needs guidance without delay."