Projects and Standards

CoESS and European Standards: Shaping Quality and Security in Critical Infrastructure Protection

Since almost 20 years, CoESS has been actively involved in the European standardisation process and, since 2015, it has contributed to setting up and has been actively involved in CEN/TC 439 “Private Security Services”. CoESS promotes a pragmatic, forward-looking approach to standardisation, ensuring that European standards serve as an effective bridge between high-level legislative requirements and the operational realities of private security companies.

The Chairperson of CEN TC 439 is Catherine Piana, the Director General of CoESS, and many CoESS Members participate in the work of CEN TC 439. This ensures that future standards are relevant to the industry and can be implemented to the mutual benefit of suppliers and customers of private security services.

A Vision Grounded in Operational Excellence

As Europe strengthens its legal framework on the resilience of Critical Entities (CER), there is a growing need for harmonised tools that help both public authorities and private stakeholders implement these obligations effectively. CoESS supports the development of standards that:

  • Reflect the unique responsibilities of private security companies operating in sensitive CI environments;

  • Support implementation of EU legislation, including the CER Directive and sectoral rules;

  • Establish clear, certifiable benchmarks for quality, professionalism, and compliance;

  • Foster trust between contracting authorities, CI operators, and private security providers.

A Robust System of Standards: EN 17483 Series

CEN/TC 439 is developing a whole standards system for Critical Infrastructure Protection under the umbrella of EN 17483. CoESS has been instrumental in shaping the following standards:

  • EN 17483-1: The foundational standard setting general requirements for private security services across all CI sectors;

  • EN 17483-2: A sector-specific standard for airport and civil aviation security, adding quality and training criteria beyond existing legal obligations;

  • EN 17483-3: A dedicated standard for port and maritime security services, supporting safe logistics and global trade through robust private security provisions.

These standards offer practical tools for both public and private stakeholders, facilitating high-quality tendering, measurable performance, and compliance with both legal and market expectations.

About CEN

CEN, the European Committee for Standardization, is an association that brings together the National Standardization Bodies of 33 European countries.

CEN is one of three European Standardization Organizations — alongside CENELEC and ETSI — that have been officially recognized by the European Union and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) as being responsible for developing and defining voluntary standards at the European level.

Download the Briefing Notes

To learn more about each standard, download the official briefing notes in the sidebar.