About ERNCIP

ERNCIP aims at providing a framework within which experimental facilities and laboratories will share knowledge and expertise in order to harmonise test protocols throughout Europe, leading to better protection of critical infrastructures against all types of threats and hazards.

Our mission is to foster the emergence of innovative, qualified, efficient and competitive security solutions, through the networking of European experimental capabilities.

The keywords of the mission statement together with their meanings are: -

 

The project is split into four phases, each lasting 12 months. At the end of each year, the project results will be assessed by the sponsors, who can decide to readdress the ERNCIP mission and the subsequent deliverables. The ERNCIP project completed the first year of implementation in February 2012 (the Core Functionalities phase) in which the core functionalities of the network were initiated.

The 4 year roadmap comprises:

 

  • Year 1: Core functionalities including development of the Inventory database and setting up of seven Thematic Areas (TA) and related thematic working groups (TG);
  • Year 2: Deployment of the Inventory database and initial operations (TA development and reporting);
  • Year 3: TA continuation including provisional findings, knowledge exploitation and dissemination;
  • Year 4: Consolidation: Project assessment (incl. TG recommendations) and plan for the future.

The main deliverables of the first year are:

  • Development of an inventory database to record, characterise and manage data and information concerning EU experimental capabilities
  • Identification of and launching the first priority Thematic Areas. 
  • Progress Report.

Management Structure for Core Functionalities phase

The management of the ERNCIP project follows a lean management approach that will evolve as we make progress with the project deliverables. The present management structure is shown below: 

The ERNCIP Office is responsible for the management of the ERNCIP project, under the supervision of the ERNCIP sponsors i.e. the member States representatives and the EU Commission.  

ERNCIP Member State Advisory Group represents the interests of the member State stakeholders especially on issues concerning the thematic areas. 

Thematic Group Coordinators: the identification and prioritisation of the thematic areas involves also the selection of coordinators. Their job is to coordinate the work within their respective thematic area, report the findings (interim or final) of their work and liaison with the ERNCIP Office.