The aim of the system for protecting the French nation’s scientific and technical potential (PPST – Protection du Potentiel Scientifique et Technique) is to safeguard, within public and private institutions, access to their strategic knowledge and know-how as well as to their sensitive technologies. It serves to more effectively guard against attempts to capture information.

Scientific and technical potential concerns all tangible and intangible assets specific to fundamental or applied scientific activity, and the technological development of the French nation (Article 410-1 of the French criminal code).

The PPST system offers legal and administrative protection based on the control of access – both physical and virtual – to sensitive information held within protected areas, known as restrictive access zones (ZRR – Zones à Régime Restrictif), i.e. defined spaces within which research or strategic production activities take place and which must be protected due to their importance in terms of the institution’s competitiveness.

In this context, an institution may receive an offer from the Senior Defence and Security Officer (HFDS – Haut Fonctionnaire de Défense et de Sécurité) to create a ZRR within one of its laboratories or units.

There are different types of ZRR: Total ZRR (total physical and thematic coverage), partial ZRR (partial physical and thematic coverage) or integral ZRR (partial physical coverage and total thematic coverage, as is the case for joint research units [UMRs] classed ZRR).

A unit may also be referred to as “sensitive”, i.e. requiring protection by the creation of a ZRR at the request of the HFDS (after the opinion of the panel of experts relating to the PPST).

All research units under the supervision of Centrale Lille are considered “sensitive”. This means that all permanent or temporary staff (including M2 trainees) who are recruited must be authorised to access the research unit according to a procedure involving the HFSD.

Applicable from 1 March 2022, this new method must be included within the period for recruiting new personnel.

Centrale Lille’s Security and Defence Officer (FSD – Fonctionnaire de Sécurité et de Défense) and radicalisation expert (functional delegate of the HFDS) Olivier Durreau can be contacted at .