[Vredeslijst] Fwd: New report: Market Forces: the development of the EU security-industrial complex

[Stop Wapenhandel - Mark Akkerman]

_Market __Forces: the development of the EU secu__ri__ty-industrial
complex_, a new report from _Statewatch_ and the _Transnational
Institute_. Read the report online here [1].

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PRESS RELEASE: CORPORATIONS IN THE DRIVING SEAT AND WINNING BIG FROM
EU’S SECURITY RESEARCH AGENDA

_31 August 2017, London, UK_

Transnational corporations are winning millions of euros of public
research funds to develop ever more intrusive surveillance and snooping
technologies, a new report by _Statewatch_ and the _Transnational
Institute_ reveals today.

The report, _Market Forces_ [1], shows how the EU's EUR1.7 billion
'Secure societies' research programme has been shaped by the "homeland
security" industry and in the process is constructing an ever more
militarised and security-focused Europe.

The research programme, in place since 2007, has sought to combat a
panoply of "threats" ranging from terrorism and organised criminality to
irregular migration and petty crime through the development of new
"homeland security" technologies such as automated behaviour analysis
tools, enhanced video and data surveillance, and biometric
identification systems.

Key beneficiaries of this research funding have been companies: Thales
(EUR33.1m), Selex (EUR23.2m), Airbus (EUR17.8m), Atos (EUR14.1m) and
Indra (EUR12.3m are the five biggest corporate recipients. Major applied
research institutes have also received massive amounts of funding, the
top five being: Fraunhofer Institute (EUR65.7 million); TNO (EUR33.5
million); Swedish Defence Research Institute (EUR33.4 million);
_Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives_
(EUR22.1 million); Austrian Intstitute of Technology (EUR16 million).

Many of these organisations and their lobbies have played a significant
role in designing the research programme through their participation in
high-level public-private forums, European Commission advisory groups
and through lobbying undertaken by industry groups such as the European
Organisation for Security (EOS).

The report also examines EU's EUR3.8 billion Internal Security Fund,
which provides funding to Member States to acquire new tools and
technologies: border control drones and surveillance systems, IMSI
catchers for spying on mobile phones, tools for monitoring the web and
'pre-crime' predictive policing systems are currently on the agenda.

It is foreseen that the fund will eventually pay for technologies
developed through the security research programme, creating a closed
loop of supply and demand between private companies and state
authorities.

Despite the ongoing economic crisis, EU funding for new security tools
and technologies has grown from under EUR4 billion to almost EUR8
billion in the 2014-20 period (compared to 2007-13) and the report warns
that there is a risk of further empowering illiberal tendencies in EU
governments that have taken unprecedented steps in recent years towards
normalising emergency powers and undermining human rights protection in
the name of fighting terrorism and providing "security".

_Market Forces_ argues that upcoming negotiations on the next round of
funding programmes (2021-27) provide a significant opportunity to reform
the rationale and reasoning behind the EU's development of new security
technologies and its funding of tools and equipment for national
authorities.

QUOTES

Chris Jones, a researcher for _Statewatch _and author of the report,
said:

_"The EU's security research agenda has long been propelled by the
intertwined interests of transnational corporations and EU institutions
in developing a new "homeland security" market and attempting to address
serious issues such as terrorism, crime, natural and man-made disasters
and large-scale migration._

_The pursuit of those interests has led to an unhealthy relationship
between the public and private sectors in which it seems that the
private pursuit of profit has become conflated with the wider public
interest in keeping people safe. In the name of security, democracy is
paying the price._

_Upcoming negotiations on the EU's next round of budgets should seek to
halt this disturbing security-industrial complex and prioritise security
policies that put people before profit and fundamental rights first."_

Nick Buxton, an editor on the report and researcher at _Transnational
Institute _said:

_"At a time of austerity cutbacks and widening political divisions
across Europe, it is disturbing that security is one of the few European
agendas that continues unaffected, receiving ever more funds and
support. Trust and unity in Europe cannot be built around a homeland
security industry vision that treats ever more people as suspects and
seeks to profit from their surveillance and control. Real security will
be built not through big brother technology, but through investing in
jobs, livelihoods, social welfare and environmental protection both in
Europe and in neighbouring countries." _

CONTACT

For further enquiries contact the Statewatch office (0203 691 5227) or
email chris op statewatch.org.

NOTES TO EDITORS

[1] _Market Forces_ is available online here [2]. It is the follow-up to
the 2009 report _NeoConOpticon_ [3](pdf)

[2] The 'Secure societies' programme is a EUR1.7 billion research theme
funded by the EU's EUR77 billion Horizon 2020 research budget, which
runs from 2014-20. It follows a EUR1.4 billion 'security' theme in the
2007-13 7th Framework Programme research budget.

[3] The Internal Security Fund - Police is worth EUR1 billion and runs
from 2014-20. It follows the 2007-13 Prevention of and Fight against
Crime fund (ISEC, worth EUR600 million) and the Terrorism and other
security-related risks (CIPS, EUR140 million) budgets. The Internal
Security Fund - Borders is worth EUR2.8 billion between 2014-20 and
follows the 2007-13 External Borders Funds (EBF, EUR1.8 billion).

[4] _Statewatch_ is a non-profit-making voluntary group founded in 1991.
It is comprised of lawyers, academics, journalists, researchers and
community activists. Its European network of contributors is drawn from
18 countries. Statewatch encourages the publication of investigative
journalism and critical research in Europe the fields of the state,
justice and home affairs, civil liberties, accountability and openness.
Website: www.statewatch.org [4]

[5] The _Transnational Institute_ (TNI) is an international research and
advocacy institute committed to building a just, democratic and
sustainable planet. For more than 40 years, TNI has served as a unique
nexus between social movements, engaged scholars and policy makers.
Website: www.tni.org [5]


Links:
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[1] http://www.statewatch.org/marketforces/index.htm
[2] http://www.statewatch.org/analyses/marketforces.pdf
[3] http://www.statewatch.org/analyses/neoconopticon-report.pdf
[4] http://www.statewatch.org
[5] http://www.tni.org

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c/o MDR,88 Fleet St, London EC4Y 1DH
tel: +44(0)203 691 5227
http://www.statewatch.org
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