(1)

The Commission and the High Representative have recognised that with rising geopolitical tensions, deeper economic integration and the acceleration of technological development, certain economic flows and activities can present a risk to our economic security and adopted a Joint Communication on European Economic Security Strategy (1) to put in place a comprehensive strategic approach to economic security.

(2)

The European Economic Security Strategy is based on a three-pillar approach: promotion of the EU’s economic base and competitiveness; protection against risks; and partnership with the broadest possible range of countries to address shared concerns and interests.

(3)

As part of this framework and in light of the risks that certain economic dependencies and technical evolutions can present, the EU needs a clear-eyed view of the risks to its economic security and their evolution over time.

(4)

These risks should be identified and assessed together with EU Member States, with inputs from private stakeholders in a dynamic and continuous process.

(5)

The European Economic Security Strategy identified the following four broad and non-exhaustive categories of risks for further assessment: resilience of supply chains, including energy security; physical and cyber-security of critical infrastructure; technology security and leakage; weaponisation of economic dependencies and economic coercion.

(6)

The Commission committed in the Joint Communication to assess the risks of technology security and leakage on the basis of a list of strategic technologies critical for economic security and, as regards the most sensitive risks, to propose a list of critical technologies in view of a risk assessment to be pursued collectively with Member States by the end of 2023.

(7)

The Joint Communication identified the following three narrowly defined and forward-looking criteria for the selection of technologies presenting the most sensitive risks, for further assessment: the enabling and transformative nature of the technology; the risk of civil and military fusion; and the risk of misuse of the technology for human rights violations.

(8)

The enabling and transformative nature of the technology criterion looks at the technology’s potential and relevance for driving significant increases of performance and efficiency and/or radical changes for sectors, capabilities, etc.

(9)

The risk of civil and military fusion criterion looks at the technology’s relevance for both the civil and military sectors and its potential to advance both domains, as well as risk of uses of certain technologies to undermine peace and security.

(10)

The risk of misuse of the technology for human rights violation criterion looks at the technology’s potential misuse in violation of human rights, including restricting fundamental freedoms.

(11)

Following a first internal analysis, the Commission has identified a list of 10 critical technology areas for the EU’s economic security. This list of technology areas takes into account work done pursuant to the Action Plan on synergies between civil, defence and space industries (2). It is a living document and could be subject to further amendments reflecting technological developments as part of an ongoing exercise.

(12)

On the basis of the three narrowly defined and forward-looking criteria for the selection of technologies for further assessment, out of this list, the present Recommendation identifies 4 technology areas, which it considers highly likely to present the most sensitive and immediate risks related to technology security and technology leakage, namely Advanced Semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Technologies and Biotechnologies. These technology areas should, as a matter of highest priority, be subject to a collective risk assessment with Member States by the end of the year. Subject to scoping work with Member States, this collective assessment may focus on subsets of technologies within these four technology areas.

(13)

The structuring of the list reflects the Commission’s assessment of which technology areas, among these, are more likely to present the most sensitive and immediate risks related to technology security and technology leakage. This can serve as an aid to decision-making on further steps. The Commission will engage in an open dialogue with Member States on the appropriate calendar and scope of further risk assessments, having regard, inter alia, to the contribution of the time factor to the evolution of risks. The Commission would welcome a timely exchange on this aspect of the Economic Security Strategy in Council, in the context of its overall political deliberations and orientations in response to the Joint Communication. The Commission may present further initiatives in this respect by Spring 2024, in light of such dialogue and of the first experience with the initial collective assessments, as well as of further inputs that may be received on the listed technology areas. In deciding on proposals for further collective risk assessments with Member States on one or more of the listed additional technology areas, or subsets thereof, the Commission will take into account ongoing or planned actions to promote or partner in the technology area under consideration. More generally, the Commission will bear in mind that measures taken to enhance the competitiveness of the EU in the relevant areas can contribute to reducing certain technology risks.

(14)

The objective of the risk assessment should be to identify and analyse vulnerabilities of a systemic nature according to their potential impact on the EU’s economic security and the degree of likelihood that the negative impact materialises. To structure the upcoming risk assessment exercise with Member States, the Commission has identified some guiding principles.

(15)

This Recommendation does not prejudge the outcome of the risk assessment. Only the outcome of the detailed collective assessment of the level and nature of the risks presented can serve as the basis for a further discussion on the need for any precise and proportionate measures to promote, partner or protect on any of these technology areas, or any subset thereof. Member States and the Commission may use this information in designing future policy actions, including promotion, partnership or protection measures at national, EU or international level, which should be proportional to the level of risk addressed and precise in terms of scope. No conclusion can therefore be drawn at this pre-assessment stage on recourse to any particular instrument in the EU’s or the Member States’ toolboxes of measures to promote, partner or protect with others in view of enhanced economic security.

(16)

Any measures that may be taken will be proportionate and precisely targeted to the assessed risks of each critical technology area, or of a relevant technology. Any implemented measures will aim at reinforcing the Union’s strength in these areas and be designed to minimise any negative spill-over effects on the market and the economy. In particular, these assessments will contribute to the development of Union policies in support of innovation and industrial development for the identified technologies, including through international initiatives.