During the European Security Research Conference: “Research for Securing Citizens,” Dr. Annette Schavan, Germany’s Federal Minister of Research and Education Minister announced the establishment of a new body to promote knowledge transfer in the area of security research: the European Security Research and Innovation Forum (ESRIF). The establishment of ESRIF was initiated by a group of six member states including Germany, France, Sweden, the Netherlands, Austria and Great Britain to develop new technologies which will support the work of rescue staff. Between 50 and 70 experts will be appointed as members of this strategy forum that will be support by the research investments of the European Union and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) fund, providing 123 million EUR for civil security research over the next four years. The first two calls for proposals under the German programme will be published in the Bundesanzeiger. One call will deal with the protection of traffic infrastructures. The other will be addressed to researchers who are developing new technologies for the detection of chemical, biological, nuclear, radiological and explosive substances hazardous to human health. German Federal Ministry of Education and Research