On 25 September 2026 the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG RTD) held its fourth meeting with EU level stakeholder associations to discuss related updates on research security activities. 

The agenda featured EU policy updates on research security, including possible enhancement of (self-)evaluation and risk mitigation measures under the new Horizon Europe programme. The EU’s Centre of Expertise and the Due Diligence pilot platform, both slotted to launch by the end of year, would be instrumental in supporting related self-assessments under future Horizon Europe projects (see ACA Newsletter – Education Europe, March 2026). 

A Tour de Table highlighted stakeholders’ updates on research security related activities, which included the development of dedicated workshops, task forces or expert groups, tools, and training frameworks. 

In terms of next meetings planned ahead, the Commissioner for Startups, Research and Innovation, Ekaterina Zakharieva, supported by her Cabinet, will organise an Implementation Dialogue on Research Security, with the subsequent outcomes publicly accessible, in November 2026. DG RTD will also co-organise a workshop in Lund, Sweden, together with VINOVA in early December, bringing together the three informal groups on research security, namely member state experts, national funders and EU-level stakeholder associations. The group also briefly discussed the next bi-annual research security conference, anticipated to take place at the end of 2027.