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Their core work

The International Centre for Defence and Security (ICDS) is an Estonian think tank that provides independent policy analysis on European security, defence, and foreign policy. Their core work involves researching hybrid threats, EU crisis management, and the security dimensions of European integration. They advise policymakers on how EU member states can strengthen collective resilience against emerging security challenges, bridging political science research with practical policy recommendations.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

ICDS entered H2020 in 2019 through academic-leaning work on EU governance, integration processes, and political science (InDivEU). By 2020-2021, their focus shifted decisively toward operational security topics — hybrid threats, defence policy, crisis management, and building pan-European security networks. This trajectory shows a move from theoretical EU governance research toward applied security and defence policy work with direct operational relevance.

ICDS is moving toward applied security research with a focus on hybrid threats and EU defence coordination — expect continued engagement in projects addressing Europe's evolving security landscape.

How they like to work

ICDS operates exclusively as a contributor rather than a project leader, participating in large consortia (63 unique partners across 27 countries) without ever coordinating. Their entry as a third party in InDivEU and progression to full participant in later projects suggests they are building their H2020 presence gradually. They function as a specialist knowledge provider within broad European research networks rather than as a consortium organizer.

Despite only three projects, ICDS has touched 63 unique partners across 27 countries, reflecting involvement in large pan-European consortia. Their network spans nearly the entire EU, consistent with security and governance topics that require broad geographic representation.

What sets them apart

ICDS brings an Estonian and Baltic perspective to European security research — a viewpoint shaped by direct proximity to NATO's eastern flank and firsthand experience with hybrid threats. As a dedicated defence and security think tank (not a university department), they offer focused policy expertise without the overhead of a large academic institution. For consortium builders, they fill the critical role of a small-country security policy expert with disproportionate relevance to current European defence debates.

Highlights from their portfolio

• JOINT
  Largest funding (EUR 132,000) and broadest scope, covering EU foreign policy, defence, and crisis management in a contested geopolitical environment.
• EU-HYBNET
  Longest-running project (2020-2025) building a pan-European network specifically to counter hybrid threats — highly relevant given current European security concerns.