21-22 November 2016: Workshop on Germs, Bioterrorism and Chemical Attacks

In cooperation with the Maastricht Centre for European Law (MCEL), CERiM is organising a Workshop on 21-22 November 2016 entitled ‘Germs, Bioterrorism and Chemical Attacks: Internal and External EU Security Perspectives’ at Maastricht University Campus Brussels.

This academic workshop will bring together academics and policy experts in the field of public health and security policy with the purpose of discussing innovative research and establishing closer contacts. The workshop aims at highlighting actual or potential synergies between (1) health and security issues, (2) internal and external challenges, and (3) legal and policy perspectives. The purpose is to stimulate a cross-fertilization of ideas on knowledge, research and policy challenges between policy makers and academics from a variety of scientific disciplines and approaches.

The workshop will include discussions on Pandemic and Epidemic Diseases as Security Threats as well as Bioterrorism and Chemical Attacks. In the first discussion round we address naturally occurring disease outbreaks as threats to both internal and external security. After the outbreak of Swineflu in 2009, in 2013 a new regulatory framework has been adopted to respond and monitor infectious diseases, which overlaps with the regulatory framework devised to address bio-terrorist and chemical threats. It is interesting to highlight that this regulatory framework has now been tested in the course of a number of public health events.

During the second discussion round, the workshop will focus on Bioterrorism and Chemical Attacks. EU has long been aware of the terrorist threat. Following the attacks on 11 September 2001, the EU adopted the European Security Strategy in 2003, which identifies terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) as two of the most significant threats. The 2005 European Counter-Terrorism Strategy similarly identifies the risk of CBRN. While the cross-border nature of the issue is widely acknowledged, the EU and other international bodies are still largely organized around a strict separation of internal and external security.

CALL FOR PAPERS

Please send your abstract (250 words maximum) to h.dijkstra@maastrichtuniversity.nl and anniek.deruijter@maastrichtuniversity.nl by 1st July 2016. Decisions will be made by the end of July. In your abstract, please make explicit how your paper highlights actual or potential synergies between (1) health and security issues, (2) internal and external challenges, and (3) legal and policy perspectives. Full papers (6000-8000 words) are expected by 15 November. Joint publishing options will be discussed during the workshop.

The workshop will take place in Brussels starting in the afternoon on Monday 21 November and ending around lunchtime on Tuesday 22 November. This allows for travel on the days of the workshop.

Date: 21-22 November 2016
Location: Maastricht University Campus Brussels, Belgium

Contact Persons: 
Anniek De Ruijter (MCEL)
Hylke Dijkstra (FASoS)
Francesca Galli (MCEL)

The organisers will cover accommodation and catering. Limited financial support for travel may be available subject to budgetary considerations. Please indicate any genuine financial need when submitting your abstract.