Who we are

The DG Security and Prevention aims to strengthen European multidisciplinary cooperation in security and safety. Besides police and private security agencies, community guards, volunteers (such as football stewards) and citizens also help ensure security. Specifically, we would focus on the themes of 'information exchange' and 'citizen participation in safety/security'

Information exchange

It is important for experts from public administrations to cooperate with peers from other EU Member States to exchange information and learn from each other. To achieve this, it is necessary to establish partnerships, networks or consultation platforms with policy partners in the other EU Member States in order to jointly tackle cross-border crime phenomena. In the field of football security, we aim to create a broad platform for non-personal information sharing of policy challenges, initiatives, experiences and good practices regarding the fight against football-related misconduct and violence. This exchange between policymakers, and where useful with external stakeholders, will build on the work of the Benelux Platform sub-working group under the Belgian Presidency in the framework of the Benelux-WG SENN-FOOT. With regard to private security, we will create a European network of experts in the field of private security at the competent public authorities of the EU Member States, with the aim of ensuring an infoflux between governments (i.e. exchanging insights and best practices to improve procedures and regulations). This network would also focus on gathering knowledge on a European vision for the deployment of private security with a focus on reliability and quality. The kick-off of this network took place on 21 November 2023 with the participation of 10 EU Member States and we want to extend this further to the other Member States.

Citizin participation in safety/security 

This theme concerns the role of citizens in the integral security policy: how they can contribute to a safer society. Also in virtual world: how can citizens be involved for this purpose? This topic is a priority of the Belgian minister of Home Affairs and in the Federal Framework on Integral Security 2022 – 2024. We are drawing up guidelines for local authorities on how to engage/involve citizens in the local security policy. In addition, we will create a toolbox with inspirational practices for the different types of volunteering in crime prevention. During our conference, we will present these guidelines and some practices from the toolbox. Finally, we would like to focus on strengthening the relationship between citizens and security professions like football stewards and locale security guards. The objective is to work on the prevention of violence against security professions, e.g. during football matches.