The European Union's Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Centres of Excellence Initiative

This paper outlines the development and current state of the European Union (EU) Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Centres of Excellence (COE) Initiative. It describes the legal framework underpinning the EU CBRN risk-mitigation actions—the Instrument for Stability (IFS)—and also illustrates the EU’s innovative holistic approach and the structure of the CBRN network, as well as the establishment of the Regional Secretariats. The paper analyses the strengths and weaknesses of the COE Initiative and identifies several issues that need to be addressed if the initiative is to be successful. It argues that the proposed new IFS for the period 2014–20, EU member states’ support for the initiative and the appreciation demonstrated by international organizations and other interested stakeholders should help ensure the continuity of the actions currently being undertaken by the EU to control the proliferation of CBRN materials.