As every year, the European CoESS family – 23 national private security associations – met in autumnal Brussels in October for the General Assembly. But although the season lends itself to a cozy atmosphere, the discussions reflected the seriousness of our times. Public security in Europe faces enormous challenges.

The first day was reserved for the national associations. Together, they looked back at the EU legislative term 2019–2024 and analyzed how legal acts adopted at the time – such as the EU AI Act or the CER Directive – are shaping the security industry today. For CoESS, this is routine: many laws that only take effect years later in the Member States are monitored and commented on early in Brussels within CoESS’ expert committees. Thus, CoESS was already discussing topics such as the AI Regulation or the CER Directive back in 2020 – long before they came into force in EU Member States this year.

In a “tour de table,” representatives of the various national associations exchanged experiences on how these frameworks are being implemented and applied in the different Member States. Other EU laws with noticeable impact on security companies, such as the NIS2 Directive on cybersecurity, were also discussed.

Reform of the EU Procurement Directive: Quality Before Price

The following two days looked to the future – with two major forward-looking topics dominating the discussions. At the center: the revision of the EU Public Procurement Directive, the basis of German procurement law and long the subject of criticism. Since 2022, CoESS – together with our European-level trade union partner, UNI Europa – has been pushing successfully for reform. EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen officially announced the revision in 2024, and the overhaul process is now in full swing.

Over the past year, CoESS has been deeply engaged: in consultations, hearings, and meetings with the Commission and the European Parliament. The message is clear: public contracts in the field of security services should only be awarded to companies that fully comply with labor and sectoral law, including collective bargaining agreements. Additionally, quality, innovation, and professional competence must take precedence over the lowest price in award criteria, particularly for security-relevant services. The need for action here was confirmed by the European Parliament in its own-initiative report and by the European Commission in an initial evaluation.

Another key CoESS priority: greater legal certainty for price-adjustment clauses. Experiences of recent years – from high inflation to changes in collective agreements – demonstrate that ongoing contracts must be adaptable to extraordinary circumstances, and better legal foundations are needed to ensure this.

These CoESS positions are based on a broad membership survey and workshops held this year. The Commission’s legislative proposal is expected in 2026 (according to the work programme, in the second quarter), and CoESS intends to continue dialogue with its member associations and the European institutions to achieve a revision that strengthens strategic procurement, quality assurance, and legal certainty – while reducing bureaucracy for both contracting authorities and bidders.

Crisis Preparedness and Europe’s Defence Readiness

The second major theme of this year’s General Assembly was shaped by geopolitics: Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, hybrid threats, natural disasters, and the question of how well Europe is prepared for a potential emergency. Several Member States are already discussing what role the private security industry can and must play in such scenarios.

The questions are pressing: How can the protection of Critical Infrastructure be strengthened? What additional measures are needed against cyberattacks or drones? How do we maintain the operational readiness of personnel performing critical services when reservists are drafted, while continuity must still be ensured in emergency and service control centers, site protection, or critical infrastructure security? And what can be learned from the COVID-19 pandemic or past emergencies for future public-private emergency protocols?

These topics were discussed by CoESS members together with a high-level panel of experts from the European Commission, NATO, the security company SERIS, and Jean-Philippe Bérillon, CoESS Board Member and Chair of the CIP Committee. A core conclusion: the private security industry is ready to make an active contribution to Europe’s crisis preparedness – and has already demonstrated this in past crises. But much remains to be done: strategic procurement and quality assurance, especially in the protection of Critical Infrastructure, must be strengthened. Equally important is closer cooperation between the public sector and private security companies – for example through emergency exercises, reaction protocols, information exchange, and addressing questions of operational readiness and continuity in crises.

The availability of qualified personnel will also be a decisive factor. Times of crisis show how essential well-trained staff are for maintaining safety and order. This became clear not only through CoESS’ EU-funded “INTEL” project, in which member associations participated as project partners. CoESS now aims to further deepen this exchange among its member associations within its expert committees and to support the European Commission in implementing its EU Preparedness Union initiative. Experiences from countries in the Baltic region or with their own crisis histories provide valuable insights for all of Europe.

Conclusion: Taking Responsibility Together

The 2025 Annual General Assembly made one thing clear: CoESS is a strategic partner at EU level for security, resilience, quality, and cooperation with the private security industry. At a time when geopolitical tensions, technological disruptions, and societal change intersect, the exchange within Europe’s private security sector is more important than ever.