AGENZIA REGIONALE EMERGENZA URGENZA

Their core work

AREU is the regional emergency medical services agency for Lombardy, Italy — one of Europe's most densely populated regions. They manage the 112/118 emergency call system, coordinate ambulance dispatch, and oversee pre-hospital emergency care across the region. In H2020, they bring real operational experience from managing large-scale emergency response, contributing practitioner insight to projects focused on next-generation emergency services, triage systems, and cross-border interoperability of first responder equipment and procedures.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

AREU's early H2020 involvement (2015–2018, NEXES) focused broadly on next-generation emergency services, likely exploring digital transformation of 112/118 call handling and dispatch. By 2021, their focus sharpened significantly toward interoperability, equipment standardization, and procurement of innovative triage systems — reflecting a shift from exploring possibilities to actively acquiring and standardizing solutions. The move into PCP (pre-commercial procurement) signals maturation from research participant to informed buyer of innovation.

AREU is moving from general emergency services research toward becoming a procurement-driven adopter of interoperable, standardized first-responder technologies across borders.

How they like to work

AREU participates exclusively as a partner, never as coordinator — consistent with their role as an end-user agency that contributes operational expertise rather than leading research. With 44 unique partners across 18 countries from just 3 projects, they operate in large, diverse consortia typical of EU security research. This suggests they are valued as a real-world testbed and practitioner voice, offering access to one of Europe's busiest emergency systems.

Despite only 3 projects, AREU has built connections with 44 partners across 18 countries — a wide European network for an operational agency. This breadth reflects the large consortium sizes typical of security-pillar projects rather than deliberate network-building.

What sets them apart

AREU is not a research lab — it is the agency that actually runs emergency medical services for 10 million people in Lombardy. This gives them something most consortium partners cannot offer: direct access to real emergency operations, real dispatch data, and real first responders for validation and testing. For any project needing an operational emergency services end-user in a major European metropolitan area, AREU is a strong candidate.

Highlights from their portfolio

• iProcureSecurity PCP
  Uses the rare Pre-Commercial Procurement instrument, positioning AREU as a buyer driving innovation in triage management rather than a passive research participant.
• VALKYRIES
  Largest funding (EUR 408,125) and tackles the challenging problem of harmonizing emergency equipment and tactical procedures across European borders.