The European Commission has presented its plan to counter drone threats after months of disruptions caused by drones and meteorological balloons causing chaos on major airports across the EU.
The plan sets out proposals to rapidly increase technological development and industrial production of anti-drone technologies, and their testing through a new EU Counter-Drone Centre of Excellence.
The Action Plan is designed to support EU member states through coordinated actions, complementing national measures and “focused on key priorities: enhancing preparedness, boosting detection capacities, coordinating responses and strengthening the EU’s defence readiness.”
The bloc also wants to review the current rules on civilian drones, warning that some member states currently have no regulation in place, and adds new provisions on geographical zones with restrictions and exclusions.
According to the statement, the European Commission will propose a Drone Security Package to revamp the existing rules on civilian airborne drones and adapt them to the new security realities.
The package will include measures for a coordinated risk assessment to protect the technology supply chains for both drones and counter-drone systems, alongside the launch of an “EU Trusted Drone” label to identify secure equipment on the market.
The EU also wants member states to review their “active mitigation measures” and how they can effectively respond to drone threats after it emerged to be an major issue during repeated drone sightings at airport in Copenhagen, Munich and Brussels.
Additionally, the Action Plan previews measures that will support the emergence of single air display systems, integrating all relevant data to identify legitimate drones, and explore with EU member states the progressive set up of a Drone Incident Platform.
The Commission will launch discussions with member states on the proposed actions and key priorities, based on the principle of co-ownership. It will also work very closely with other actors, including industry and the European Parliament. “The Action Plan should be seen as a dynamic process, to be adapted according to the evolution and nature of threats,” the statement said.
To coordinate implementation, the Commission will consider setting up with Member States a strategic mechanism connecting the different dimensions, and ensuring close cooperation with the Council.
The Commission also proposed that Member States appoint National Drone Security Coordinators, which will foster and oversee the national implementation of these actions.
Plan To Counter Drone Threats Welcomed
EU’s Tech Commissioner, Henna Virkkunen said in the statement, “We have seen that anything can be used as a weapon against us,” adding that “we are taking a major step toward enhancing security and developing these capabilities together with our member states.”
“In the current geopolitical context, Europe must cultivate home-grown solutions to enhance its collective security. We have the talents, the technologies and the industrial strength to protect our assets.”
Henna Virkkunen
Also, Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius asserted that the proposals were turning “the concept of a Drone Wall from a political vision into an industrial reality,” as he stressed that the EU needed “a sophisticated, multi-layered shield that can detect and neutralise any threat in real-time.”
He noted that the European Commission is developing a range of tools to the industry and Member States to develop and acquire drone and anti-drone defence capabilities in Europe. “This includes the Eastern Flank Watch initiative and European Drone Defence Initiative,” he said.
“By bridging the gap between innovative civilian technology and military requirements, we are ensuring that our defence industry can produce these essential systems at the scale and speed required to keep Europe secure and technologically sovereign.”
Andrius Kubilius
Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration stated that with the Action Plan, “we have more arrows in our quiver to counter threats to our security” and use this technology as an advantage, including by launching a new Counter-Drone Centre of Excellence, establishing an EU Drone Incident Platform and spending €400 million on drone and counter drone technology.
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