Industry Days on Personal Equipment for Border Management (14–15 April 2026)

Announcements

Industry Days on Personal Equipment for Border Management (14–15 April 2026)

Would you like to showcase your advanced personal equipment and gear designed for border guards and law enforcement officers? Do you want to contribute to enhancing officer safety, mobility, and operational effectiveness at EU external borders?

The Research & Innovation Unit at Frontex invites you to Industry Days on Personal Equipment, a live, in-person event taking place on 14 and 15 April 2026.

With Industry Days, Frontex aims to create a dedicated forum for manufacturers and technology providers to present state-of-the-art and innovative personal equipment solutions that address the needs of the European Border and Coast Guard community.

Focus areas

We are looking for companies offering comprehensive personal equipment sets for border guards, including (but not limited to) combinations of the following categories:

• Protective clothing and ballistic protection: including load-bearing vests (with a Fast Response Plate Carrier function), armour plates (NIJ RF2), anti-stab vests, soft bulletproof vests (NIJ HG2), ballistic helmets, ballistic & laser safety glasses, and active (electronic) hearing protection.
• Duty belts, holsters, and modular carrying systems: including load-bearing belts with MOLLE accessories systems, pistol holsters (for high and low carry), pistol magazine pouches, handcuff holsters, universal utility pouches, radio pouches, baton holsters.
• Portable lighting: torch for tactical vest with MOLLE attachment, hands-free torch, headlamps, tactical lights.
• Tools: plastic tie wrap safety cutters.
• Integrated load-bearing and hydration systems: including hydration packs, MOLLE medical pouch, and tourniquet pouches.
• Compact Operator Backpack (35-40 L). Other innovative personal gear improving officer safety, ergonomics, durability, and performance in border management scenarios.

Solutions should be commercially available or near-market, and compliant with relevant EU standards, data protection rules, and human rights provisions.

Venue and attendance

The event will be held at a venue conveniently located near Frontex Headquarters in Warsaw. This location ensures maximum participation from across the Agency, including:

• Operational and Standing Corps Officers who will evaluate the gear's practical utility.
• Legal and Procurement Staff who provide expertise on compliance and future acquisition frameworks.
• Research & Innovation Staff focused on the next generation of border management technology.

We anticipate approximately 100 Frontex staff members on the first day and 50 specialised participants (primarily Standing Corps and technical experts) on the second day.

Guidance for suppliers

To allow for a comprehensive practical demonstration of the proposed solutions, Frontex is looking for participants who can provide a complete, ready-to-wear Personal Equipment Set.

We encourage applications from companies that can offer the full range of equipment listed in the focus areas. Our goal is to showcase cohesive systems, not isolated components.

We welcome applications from:

• Individual manufacturers capable of providing all listed items as a unified set.
• Multiple companies joining forces to present one complete, integrated equipment set.

Please note that the exhibition space will be organised to display one complete set per participant/consortium. This setup is designed to demonstrate the given set’s ergonomics, comfort, mobility, component compatibility, and weight distribution as a single operational unit.

Sets should be available in various sizes and adjustable versions to allow for testing by participants, while strictly maintaining all relevant safety and hygiene standards.

On the first day, three selected exhibitors will be invited to deliver a 15-minute presentation to all participants, highlighting their most significant innovations and technical advancements.

On the second day, exhibitors will be invited to have their equipment sets tested by Frontex Standing Corps officers. This will involve a short, immersive experience designed to assess how the gear performs during movement, focusing on comfort and mobility in a simulated physical environment.

What’s in it for you?

• Engage with Frontex experts and representatives from EU Member States’ border authorities.
• Network and discuss potential use cases and future needs within the European Border and Coast Guard community.
• Benefit from immediate, hands-on feedback as your equipment is put to the test by Standing Corps officers in simulated scenarios.
• Showcase your most innovative solutions to a professional audience of approximately 100 stakeholders, with the potential to be selected for a featured 15-minut Innovation Showcase on Day 1.
• Gain first-hand insights into the future operational requirements and evolving needs of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency.

Administrative notes

• This event is not a procurement procedure. It serves the purpose of market scanning, knowledge exchange, and potential preparation of future activities (e.g. requests for information, testing, or pilots).
• All information provided will be handled in accordance with Frontex rules on data protection and confidentiality.