“Today more than ever security professionals need to have a vibrant network based upon a common body of knowledge to help secure the assets intrusted to them and advance the security profession. ASIS International is the only organisation in the world that provides these value-added opportunities for security practitioners worldwide. The growing interest and demand for professional security managers is clearly evident today here in The Hague as we celebrate the ASIS 13th European Security Conference & Exhibition which is our largest to date." said ASIS President Richard E. Widup, Jr., CPP.

On Tuesday 1 April, the programme started with professional tours at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) headquarters. After a short briefing on the organisation and its activities, visitors attended a presentation provided by Chris Stretton, Head of the Office of Confidentiality and Security of the OPCW, on how to secure international organisations such as the OPCW, and on the role and adaptation of security organisations to support missions in high risk areas. The professional tours continued with a visit of The Hague Security Delta Campus. Visitors attended a presentation on the importance and potential of public-private partnerships in security, and on joint innovation programmes developed at The Hague Security Delta. In the afternoon, a limited number of delegates visited Europol’s headquarters, followed by a presentation on Europol’s activities, and on Europol and public-private patnerships. The first day was concluded by a Welcome Party with live music giving delegates a first opportunity to network in a relaxed atmosphere.

On 2 April, Deputy Mayor of the City of The Hague, Henk Kool, and ASIS President, Richard E. Widup, Jr., CPP, welcomed delegates. The opening continued with a video of European Council President, Herman Van Rompuy, stressing the need to guarantee that security is a business enabler and not a business inhibitor. Mr. Van Rompuy added that an organisation such as ASIS is important to secure our societies due to its global representation, as it helps enhancing knowledge of security professionals and creates networks.

The conference continued with the keynote presentation of Ivo Opstelten, Minister of Security and Justice of The Netherlands who spoke about the importance of public-private partnerships to create synergies. Mr. Opstelten took the organisation of the Nuclear Security Summit 2014 held, in The Hague, as an example of a successful cooperation between both sectors, stressing that the organisation of such an event would not have been possible without the cooperation of the private sector. Mr. Opstelten finally said that The Hague Security Delta, which is a cluster for companies, governments, and research institutions, allows the development of innovative solutions and products.

The educational programme kicked off with a thought-provoking panel discussion about the future of security technology featuring Ray Mauritsson, President and CEO of Axis Communications (Sweden), Roland Y. Billeter, President Continental Europe of Tyco Integrated Fire & Security (Germany), and Ruben Wegman, CEO of Nedap Security Management (Netherlands). The panellists highlighted a few trends that will drive the future of the security industry such as the increased use of open standards to integrate security solutions, and the impossible development of one-size-fits-all solutions due to the recourse of open standards.

The first day was concluded by the President’s Reception held at the Peace Palace. The Peace Palace houses the International Court of Justice, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the Hague Academy of International Law, and the Peace Palace Library. In addition, to hosting these institutions, the Palace is a regular venue for special events in international policy and law.

On the second day, Rob Wainright, Director of Europol held a keynote presentation on the scale of the challenge facing Europe with organised crime. Mr. Wainright highlighted a few trends such as the increased mobility of organised groups which enjoy opportunities offered by the globalisation and the diversication of illicit routes of traffic to commit crimes in several jurisdictions. Director Wainright also said that internet reduces the importance of distances, creates opportunities for criminals as it allows them to conceal their activities and identity, and offers a platform for radicalisation. However, legislative frameworks are not kept up to date with the speed of technological changes. Finally, Mr. Wainwright stressed the role of professional organisations in public-private partnerships, as Europol does not have the means of other organisations, but only offers a platform to pull experts’ advice.

The conference was closed by Ray Mabus, Secretary of the U.S Navy who spoke about maritime security.