The EU-funded H2020 PROACTIVE project, led by the UIC Security Division, held its fifth consortium progress meeting on 26 October. In light of Covid-19, the meeting was held online.
With the project now halfway into its implementation period, the 15 consortium partners discussed the technical developments of the project, exchanged information on ongoing tasks and discussed the project activities planned for 2021 and 2022, which are severely impacted by the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.
So far, the project is progressing well and deliverables are in line with the programme, with all planned results delivered on time. Only two reports have had to be slightly delayed due to the global pandemic, with no impact on the rest of the work, and 16 public deliverables are already available for download on the project website.
The effects of Covid-19 on the project workplan have now become evident, resulting in some foreseeable delays of planned events during the second half of the project implementation period. Some adaptations and modifications have been required, but backup plans are being developed and remote working is in place to the greatest extent possible. The project team is committed to coping with these challenges and adapting the project activities to this challenging context.
The most important ongoing research activity is the survey for the civil society, available online in nine different languages at the following link: https://proactive.limequery.com/725689. The results will allow first responders to better adapt their procedures to the needs of members of the public, including vulnerable groups.
The most notable changes over the next two years concern adaptations to planning of the field exercise co-organised with the EU-funded H2020 eNotice project. These events have been rescheduled as follows:
- Multidisciplinary field exercise in Rieti, Italy, 26-30 April 2021
- Multidisciplinary field exercise in Dortmund, Germany, September 2021
- Multidisciplinary field exercise in Ranst, Belgium, 19-23 May 2022
At least one of the exercises will be based on the scenario of a terrorist attack using a chemical agent on railway premises, and is expected to result in promising outcomes for railway security.
The next progress meeting will be held in January 2021, most likely as an online event or as a joint (physical and remote) meeting if the context allows.
The PROACTIVE (PReparedness against CBRNE threats through cOmmon Approaches between security praCTItioners and the VulnerablE civil society) project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 832981.
PROACTIVE can be followed on Twitter (@PROACTIVE_EU) as well as on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/proactive-eu/) and the project website https://proactive-h2020.eu/.
