CEP is in Greece in order to kick off a new Horizon 2020 supported project Next generation of information systems to support EU external policies – CIVILnEXt. CIVILnEXt project aims at contributing in the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) through the procurement and the development of innovative solutions that will support the mission operations of EU to third countries.
The CIVILnEXt project supports the development of a solution addressing existing “fragmentation” and closing “gaps” in communication, information-sharing, joint reporting, analysis and response planning between member state embassies, EU delegations, Commission services, EU Special Representatives and Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) missions.
The project will provide civilian CSDP missions with the next generation of secure and cost-effective information systems: a situational awareness, information exchange and operation control platform (OCP). Fully informed of contributing initiatives in civilian CSDP and EU external action, the project will aim to develop solutions leveraging on the results extracted from projects funded by the EU.
The common challenge in CIVILnEXt is to develop, test and validate a cost-effective and interoperable operation control platform (OCP) that will support the conduct of civilian CSDP missions. The OCP will improve coordination in EU external action through better information exchange, situational awareness and operation control in diverse theaters of operation. It will support the EU’s comprehensive approach in complex missions, including the civil-military cooperation within CSDP, facilitate the engagement CSDP actors, creating links EU Delegations, FRONTEX, ECHO and other EU activities, member states, as appropriate, and other partners such as the UN and regional organisations.
CIVILnEXt engages the participation of four national competent authorities, active in EU external policies and the UN organisations IOM. They share the need to become beneficiaries of procurement results that enhance the effectiveness of civilian CSDP. They are co-financing the action under one single joint procurement, supported by technical and policy advisors, with extensive CSDP experience.
CIVILnEXt project is funded by the European Union and the Horizon 2020 programme.
The Consortium consists of 14 partners: National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, KEMEA Center for Security Studies, Guardia Civil, Hellenic Ministry of Defence, Slovenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Centre for European Perspective, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus, UN International Organization for Migration, EU Satellite Centre, Atos Spain, eBOS Technologies, European Centre for Development Policy Management, Istituto Affari Internazionali, Centre of Excellence in Terrorism, Resilience, Intelligence and Organised Crime Research, and Kompetenzzentrum Internationale Sicherheit.