European visit of Secure Societies for 'Group of 6' meeting

On 12 and 13 July 2017, the Ministry of Security and Justice organized, in collaboration with Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Finance and The Hague Security Delta, the Horzion2020 work visit for 5 European Member States.

Horizon2020 is the European Commission's program to stimulate research and innovation. At the start of the program in 2014, 7 challenges have been set up for Europe to make progress in the coming years. One of the challenges is a secure society, or the Secure Societies component. For this purpose, approximately EUR 1.5 billion is available for the Member States over a seven-year period.

The Netherlands is working intensively in the Program Committee with the 'Group of 6' (Go6). This is a group of equal minded countries (Austria, Germany, France, Sweden, UK and the Netherlands). Through this cooperation, the Netherlands can make a strong unequivocal sound to the European Commission. The ministry of Security and Justice congegrates several times a year with the Go6 in Brussels, in other Member States and this week in the Netherlands.

During the two-day visit, the Go6 discussed the policy and programming of European Security and Defense Research, the impact of the Brexit, and what security issues Europe should anticipate and innovate. They also visited the Customs Scan street on the Maasvlakte in Rotterdam. Where containers and lorries are scanned with innovative radiation technologies for the safety of the world port.