CoESS welcomes the European Commission consultation on a new EU Agenda to prevent and counter terrorism and violent extremism. In todays fast-shifting threat environment, taking stock of what works - and where to adapt - is essential to anticipate risks, harden public spaces, and coordinate response across society.

The CoESS paper calls for targeted legal and non-legal actions that translate strategy into operational readiness. First, CoESS urges the EU to clarify legal uncertainties that hamper protection of public spaces - especially on data processing and counter-UAS (C-UAS) operations - so authorities and trusted private security partners can act decisively against malicious drones. Second, CoESS recommends integrating public security and preparedness needs into the ongoing revision of the EU Public Procurement Directive (2014/24) to accelerate the uptake of effective, innovative security solutions and compliance control of security companies tendering for public contracts. Third, CoESS encourages stakeholder engagement on risk-based legal security requirements for public-space operators - respecting national competencies and drawing inspiration from the UK’s new Protect Duty (“Martyn’s Law”), as well as respective law existing in EU Member States already.

Complementing these legal steps, CoESS advocates stronger public-private partnerships, better intelligence and information exchange, active involvement of the security industry in the EU Industrial Plan for Internal Security (notably for drones and AI), and the creation of sectoral/thematic clusters within the EU Forum on the Protection of Public Spaces.