Critical Infrastructure Protection topic 4: Protecting potentially hazardous and sensitive sites/areas considering multi-sectorial dependencies

Topic description

Scope:

Specific challenge:

There is a need to better understand how society as a whole might be affected by risks of accidents, natural disaster or terrorist attack on sensitive sites/areas (involving potentially hazardous substances), in order to enable effective protection measures to be developed. In this respect, the breadth of impacts from Seveso type sites/areas has to be investigated, considering multi-sectoral (inter-)dependencies (notably transport, energy, communications, water). This implies developing knowledge on multiple types of sectors and socio-economic conditions around Seveso type sites/areas that might be affected by accidents, taking into account the type of sites/areas, CBRNE substances of concern, the vulnerability of various sectors and their dependencies/interactions and of the population, risk evaluation based on advanced decision making techniques and scenarios mimicking different levels of severity of impacts.

Scope:

Research should include analysis of risks and strength/vulnerabilities, identification of alternatives resources and focus on the development and testing of qualitative methods that involve identifying links between sectors (multi-sectoral dependencies: systems and connection nodes definition and modeling) and evaluating how impacts from a Seveso typeaccident might affect them (cascades effects). Quantitative impact assessment tools should also be developed to evaluate socio-economic impacts of such accident. Small-scale demonstration activities focusing on SMEs should be considered.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of between €3m and €5m would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately (similar to the Seventh Framework Programme Capability Projects described in the general introduction). Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

Expected impact:

- better preparedness to Seveso type site/area related accidents via improved protection measures (including people training and education);

- more effective assessment and decision-making related to the potential severity of a CBRNE accident, in particular regarding ways to decrease the cost of this kind of crisis and develop adequate protection measures in the light of established policy goals:

- better risk assessment to evaluate different sectors, regions or populations for comparing them in terms of relative vulnerability to help set priorities that can guide the allocation of protecting measures financing appropriately;

- enhanced understanding by policy-makers and other stakeholders on how multiple sectors, community, region or nation could be affected in total by an accident from a Seveso site/area, and what the total impact might be (material, human, economic).

The action is expected to proactively target the needs and requirements of public bodies and industry.

The outcome of the proposal is expected to lead to development up to Technology Readiness Level (TRL)5; please see part G of the General Annexes.

Type of action: Innovation Actions

Socio-economic science and humanities
Cross-cutting Key-Enabling Technologies (KETs)