Privanova and SafeHorizon Hosted the LEA Projects Cluster Meeting for Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Overview

The LEA Projects Cluster held its online meeting on 24 October 2025, gathering representatives from over 45 EU-funded projects in the field of law enforcement innovation, cybersecurity, and digital resilience. The event took place under the European Cybersecurity Month initiative and featured contributions from INTERPOL and leading Horizon Europe projects.

The meeting focused on presenting the Cluster’s Strategic Vision and Operational Plan 2025–2027, introducing its new Working Groups framework, and highlighting recent achievements and new member projects.

Highlights

The meeting opened with remarks from Dr. Farhan Sahito, Partner at Privanova, who outlined the Cluster’s growth, achievements, and next steps.

The keynote address by Mr. Fu Huanzhang, Assistant Director of the INTERPOL Innovation Centre, explored Cybercrime, AI and Law Enforcement Challenges Ahead.

Mr. Gvozden Tasić, Coordinator of GROUNDUP and SPARKUP (Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences), presented how CBRNE innovation supports Europe’s security landscape.

Newly joined projects ENACT, GANNDALF, PRESERVE, and ENSEMBLE, introduced their objectives and areas for collaboration.

The session concluded with Kristina Isakzay, Cluster Coordinator at Privanova, presenting the LEA Projects Cluster Strategic Vision 2025–2027, which sets a clear direction for stronger coordination, greater visibility, and measurable policy impact across EU security research.

Strategic Vision 2025–2027

The new strategy defines the Cluster’s direction for the next phase, with a mission of connecting projects and shaping policy and a vision to become a recognised European cooperation hub linking research, training, and operational practice.

To ensure coherence with the EU’s internal security framework, the Cluster’s activities are aligned with the EMPACT 2026–2029 priorities, which guide the European policy cycle for organised and serious international crime. This alignment ensures that the Cluster’s outputs directly support the EU’s strategic goals in combating cybercrime, organised criminal networks, and emerging security threats.

Its work will be structured around three Working Groups:

1. Cyber and Digital Crime
2. Criminal Networks and Financial Crime
3. Human Security and Environmental Crime

Following a four-step methodology of Mapping, Consultation, Analysis, and Integration. The process will culminate in a joint publication, the LEA Projects Cluster Policy Paper 2027, “Innovation and Cooperation for a Secure and Resilient Europe.”

This flagship paper will consolidate insights, outcomes, and recommendations from all Working Groups, providing a unified voice for the EU security research community. It will serve as both a reference document for policymakers and practitioners and a strategic blueprint for future cooperation across EU-funded initiatives.

The publication will be circulated to the Cluster’s institutional partners, including DG HOME, EUROPOL, INTERPOL, CEPOL, and other relevant stakeholders in the European security ecosystem, enhancing the Cluster’s visibility and positioning its member projects as active contributors to EU security policy and innovation agendas.

Moreover, the Policy Paper will be officially presented during an in-person meeting with institutional stakeholders, marking the culmination of the 2025-2027 strategy cycle and reinforcing the Cluster’s role as a bridge between research, practice, and policy.

Engagement & Forthcoming Activities

The Cluster will continue to foster collaboration and visibility through a series of key activities. The upcoming Winter 2025 Cluster Newsletter will feature event highlights and updates from our partners. Already, the next LEA projects meeting is planned for January, where the first steps of mapping for the WGs will be presented. The future holds even more exciting formats - the first in-person Cluster event planned for spring 2026 at the INTERPOL premises in Lyon.

About the Cluster

The LEA Projects Cluster, led by Privanova, brings together more than 45 EU-funded security research and innovation projects to strengthen Europe’s collective capacity to address emerging security challenges.

Acting as a collaboration and knowledge hub, the Cluster helps projects connect, share expertise, and turn research results into practical value. It increases visibility, builds stronger links between teams, and ensures that project outcomes contribute directly to Europe’s security and policy priorities.

Through joint dissemination, shared outputs, and continuous exchange between practitioners and researchers, it contributes directly to a more secure, resilient, and innovative Europe.

Join the LEA Projects Cluster

Would you like to take part in future Cluster meetings? If your organisation coordinates or participates in an EU-funded security research project and would like to learn more about the LEA Projects Cluster or explore opportunities for collaboration, please don’t hesitate to contact Kristina Isakzay, Cluster Coordinator at Privanova - kristina.isakzay@privanova.com.