I hope you’ve enjoyed a well-deserved holiday.Within our sector, we are facing one of the most fundamental periods since the implementation of the Tobback Act on 10 April 1990.On 8 June 2017, the new “Act regulating Private and Special Security” was voted and approved of in Parliament.This new legislation marks a major progress and recognition for our industry, particularly considering the actual security climate that companies and society in general must deal with today.Meanwhile, general confidence in the role and support that the private security industry can offer to public services such as police and military forces has significantly increased. To deserve this respect, we’ve all delivered considerable efforts over many years to carry out our tasks as efficiently and professionally as possible within the existing legal framework. And we can be proud of our positive contribution to the general sense of security of citizens.But more will be expected from us. Therefore, we must be ready to carry out tomorrow’s tasks in an equally reliable and professional way. This new legislation will impose a more extensive and stricter policy in terms of competences, training and control requirements, which will have a direct impact on our surveillance and security activities.We now wait for the Minister to sign the new Act. At that time, we will come back to you as it is our task to inform you about this as correctly and completely as possible so that you can take on these new challenges with the necessary confidence.On behalf of the whole SERIS team, I wish you a successful autumn.Danny VANDORMAELCEO SERIS Belgium & the Netherlands
