I527-290 ESRIF Final Report (WEB).indd - European Commission

2.5 Point of Focus: New Critical Infrastructures
Tying closely into both the identifi ed challenge «Emergence of new critical infrastructures» and meta-recommendation Nr. 3
«Trends Awareness», WG2 recommends a continuous focus on two key dimensions of critical infrastructures, namely a) new or
more broadly defi ned critical infrastructures and b) their vulnerabilities, developments and potentials. What is to be considered
critical for the functioning of European societies should be indentifi ed and protected as early as possible. This will require a
broader defi nition of critical infrastructures than the one currently being used by WG experts.
In this broader defi nition, WG2 advocates that the biodiversity of Europe be included into the usually more technical
defi nition and scope of critical infrastructures. Biodiversity is here defi ned as the variation of life forms in a given
ecosystem, including both animal and plant life. Flora and fauna represent a basic resource that European citizens rely on for
food, basic processing materials and recreational purposes. Plus, the complex interdependencies of ecosystems are increasingly
understood, as is the delicate balance such systems constitute: The elimination, weakening or relative strengthening of an
element can completely and irrevocably damage an ecosystem and have direct and indirect eff ects upon European citizens,
none less so than in the marine environment. This, therefore, will require that the specifi c vulnerabilities and characteristics of
the European biosphere be monitored and the security implications of any loss or any invasion by a foreign species understood.
This will also include understanding and detecting the eff ects of illegal toxic and other dumping, externalities from marine
exploitation including deepwater trawling, oil and gas industry, etc.
Secondly, Europe needs to secure access to vital natural and mineral resources, or their substitutes and alternatives,
both within and beyond Europe. Just what these are is unclear, as are the ways and means to circumvent possible critical
shortages by means of substitutes and alternatives. This warrants thorough evaluation in times when other global powers
are buying up critical resources across the globe, particularly in Africa. By extension, this means that the European Union
should take stock of current and missing critical manufacturing capabilities. This requires answering the question as
to what is necessary (e.g. vaccines, aerospace, ICT components etc.), to what degree does it exist in Europe under European
sovereignty and, lastly, where are critical dependencies. This plays into the necessary defi nition of the European security sector,
and will logically have direct consequences for European and Member States’ industrial policies. Due to the crucial nature of
this endeavour, a separate body of experts charged with undertaking such a task should be envisaged.
Thirdly, Europe needs a trends and future awareness entity, tasked with monitoring societal, technological, political and
environmental trends and developments. Whatever the organisational form, security needs to be an integral part of such a group.
From the perspective of WG2, from the outset it would help to identify potential future critical infrastructures, threats to them and
ways to counter them. Naturally, the defi nition and scope of critical infrastructures of both the European Commission and the
Member States should evolve in light of such fi ndings.
Fourthly, an understanding of the evolving security dimension associated with emerging signifi cant off shore investment in off shore
renewable and alternative energy production. The multibillion euro developments associated with wind, wave and tidal farms will
require particularly novel security solutions if the infrastructure is to be protected and the energy supply to be guaranteed.
Lastly, and in line with the fi ndings of WG4 «Crisis Management», emergency response forces at the regional, national and
European level, their professionals, structure and equipment, should be considered as a critical societal and governmental
infrastructure in a wider sense of the term. Naturally, this places strong requirements on their operational and technical
interoperability, on joint capabilities and consistency in procedures. Indeed, in some cases, joint European crisis management
forces could be envisaged.
2.6 Systemic Research Needs
Apart from the overarching and critical research needs advocated by WG2, there are numerous and often very specifi c
recommendations to enhance the security of European citizens. Some go beyond the limits of Research and Innovation and
enter the fi eld of policy recommendations; it seems natural for each and every research and innovation agenda that takes itself
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