The Security Research Event 2025 took place on 24 and 25 June in Warsaw, at EXPO XXI.
The Security Research Event (SRE) is the forum where industry, policy makers, safety and security practitioners, knowledge institutions and critical infrastructure operators discuss security threats and challenges, and how EU research and innovation can contribute to tackle them.
The SRE 2025 took place at a turning point for EU’s civil security. Shifts in global geopolitics, advanced digital technologies and extreme weather events force us to constantly redefine the priority areas of EU actions and investments. Hybrid attacks have become a reality, traditional supply chains are being disrupted and terrorism and organised crime groups adapt their modus operandi to the new possibilities. In this new normal, the EU must step up its efforts to strengthen its preparedness, internal security and strategic autonomy.
Security research and innovation has a significant role to play to address these security threats in the EU and protect our democratic values and fundamental rights. Through innovation, safety and security practitioners can be equipped with the tools they need to detect threats, prevent crime and accidents, secure evidence, model future risk scenarios and design the most effective responses.
The main theme of 2025 edition was Boosting security through EU-based innovation. Five thematic panels will provide the opportunity to discuss how to achieve the identified goals while ensuring the European strategic autonomy.
In addition, Commissioner for Home Affairs, Magnus Brunner held his first implementation dialogue on the challenges to the EU’s security industry competitiveness and to the uptake of security innovation. This dialogue was an occasion to identify ways to improve, simplify and facilitate implementation of the EU policy agenda when it comes to research and innovation for security.
The conference deliberations were accompanied by exhibition. In more than 50 booths, solutions developed under the Horizon Framework Programmes, the Internal Security Fund and the Border Management and Visa Instrument illustrated the discussions of the Conference. Institutional bodies such as the European Commission, the Research Executive Agency and Justice and Home Affairs Agencies were present. The booth-based presentations were complemented by small scale demonstrations held throughout the two days of the event in a dedicated area.
The event was accompanied by the Security Innovation Award ceremony, bringing in the spotlight the most spectacular success stories of market uptake in EU-funded security innovation.