How to fight terrorism and crime more effectively and enhance protection for citizens? The Commission adopts a green paper on detection technologies

As stated by the EU Press Room, “The Commission has adopted a Green Paper on detection technologies for law enforcement, customs and other security authorities to further enhance the interaction between public and private sectors and help Member States acquire the best tools available at the lowest possible cost.’Recent events in the UK have further underlined that detection devices must be continuously improved in order to reflect the ever changing threat posed by terrorists and criminals and to ensure that people are able to travel safely. Modern detection technologies have therefore an important role to play in the fight against crime and terrorism’, said Vice-President Franco Frattini, Commissioner responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security.Vice-President Frattini believes it is vital to establishing an effective public-private dialogue on security for better focussing investments on standardisation, research, certification and interoperability of detection systems and for transforming research results into useful and applicable tools. From this perspective the Vice-President attached great importance to a conference on ‘Enhancing the Security of Explosives’ that will be held in Brussels 9-10 October 2006, and which he will open formally. It will bring together the public and private sectors to tackle areas such as: components of explosives including liquids, detection, traceability and transport & storage.The Green Paper aims at further stimulating the public-private partnership, in order to promote the development of an advanced market in certified detection technology which should lead to greater availability of products and services at lower cost, more effectiveness and better protection of privacy.Detection technologies are increasingly used in the daily work of law enforcement authorities to fight terrorism and other forms of crime and play an important role in the daily lives of Europeans (boarding airplanes, taking a ferry, attending sports events, drinking water and food supply safety etc) as these technologies are used to protect our borders and check goods entering the territory of the European Union. Moreover they are essential for guarding private property and critical infrastructure.The Green Paper is available at the website.”

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