The ARIEN Project has been highlighted in the FCT Research and Innovation Landscape – Country Profile: Italy, a report published by the ENACT network analysing the participation of Italian organisations in Horizon Europe Cluster 3 – Civil Security for Society, particularly in the area of Fight against Crime and Terrorism (FCT).

The report provides an overview of the Italian research and innovation ecosystem in the security domain, examining policy priorities, technological capabilities, and the role of key stakeholders involved in EU-funded projects. According to the report, Italy plays a central and highly competitive role in the European research landscape, consistently ranking among the top recipients of EU research funding and demonstrating strong coordination capabilities in collaborative projects.

Italian organisations are particularly active in areas such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and advanced data analytics, contributing to projects that address major European security challenges, including organised crime, cybercrime, terrorism, and drug trafficking.

Within the Horizon Europe FCT domain, the report highlights that Italian entities participate in 25 signed grants with an average EU contribution of over €700,000 per project, securing more than €17.5 million in total EU funding. These figures place Italy among the most influential contributors to European security research, ranking second in total net EU contribution within the analysed dataset.

The analysis also shows that Italy’s security research ecosystem is characterised by strong collaboration between research organisations, universities, SMEs, industry, and law enforcement agencies, enabling the development of innovative solutions that bridge the gap between scientific research and operational needs.

Among the Horizon Europe projects with Italian participation, the report highlights several key initiatives addressing security challenges across Europe, including ARIEN, which focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence to fight illicit drugs production and trafficking.

ARIEN contributes to this broader European effort by developing advanced AI-driven capabilities to support law enforcement authorities in monitoring illicit drug markets, analysing criminal networks, and improving the intelligence picture related to drug trafficking activities. By integrating innovative technologies such as data analytics, online monitoring tools, and intelligence analysis methods, the project aims to strengthen the capacity of security practitioners to detect emerging threats and respond effectively to evolving criminal dynamics.

The inclusion of ARIEN in the ENACT Country Profile highlights the project’s role within the wider European security research ecosystem and reflects the importance of collaborative research initiatives in addressing complex and transnational threats.

By bringing together partners from across Europe and combining technological innovation with criminological and operational expertise, ARIEN contributes to the development of new tools and knowledge that support the fight against illicit drug production and trafficking.

Find the full report here.