ESSA with its own representative office in Moscow
Security requirements on the rise – Liaison office supports market entry
(Key date: 17 December 2008)

FRANKFURT/M., Dec. 2008/Jan. 2009. In November 2008, the European Security Systems Association (ESSA) opened a representative office in Moscow. The aim of this liaison office in the Russian metropolis is to support the ESSA members` entry into this market. The representative office is headed by Oxana Gancheva. more

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General Assembly of the European Security Systems Association (ESSA)
In demand at home and around the world
65 members from 19 nations - 30 percent growth this year
(Key date: 01 December 2008)

FRANKFURT/M. - November 2008. The manufacturers of security products increasingly join forces with the "European Security Systems Association (ESSA)". This year alone, this neutral certification body has so far recorded a 30 percent rise in membership. In 2008, more than 100,000 certification marks have been provided for burglary resistant products - just one year ago, only 64,000. That`s the positive result presented by the ESSA during this year's General Assembly. This topical event in Frankfurt was attended by about 100 security specialists from manufacturers and users as well as representatives of the insurance industry from 16 countries. more

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Don`t buy a safe in a rush
ESSA advises against impulse purchases in the face of the present financial crisis:
"It`s quality that counts"
(Key date: 31 October 2008)

FRANKFURT/M., Nov. 2008. In the face of the financial crisis, the European Security Systems Association (ESSA) e.V. warns against hasty impulse purchases. "For every household, it is always very reasonable to have a solid safe - irrespective of the present situation. The purchasing decision should, however, be well thought out. Only certified high-quality products are a guarantee of the expected security," emphasizes this Frankfurt-based certification body according to EN 45011. "Everyone who buys a cheap product in a hurry is ill-advised." more

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Safes: Appearances are often deceiving
The burglary risk increases during the dark months - not every "tin box" can be trusted
(Key date: 30 September 2008)

FRANKFURT/M. - Sept. 2008. Appearances are deceiving. Many a "safe" which, at first glance, appears to be massive turns out to be a harmless "tin box" when the going gets rough. "Anyone who doesn't take care when buying a safe may just as well hide his valuables under the pillow", warns the European Security Systems Association (ESSA) as the dark "burglary months" draw closer. Products with ECB·S certification according to the European Standards EN 1143-1 or EN 14450 have defined resistance grades that can really be trusted. more

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"Snatching whatever is in there ..." Old deposit systems are inviting to criminals - the ECB·S certification considers the latest methods
(Key date: 08 September 2008)

FRANKFURT - September 2008. They fish, divert, block, retrieve deposits. Criminals have a lot of fantasy when it comes to removing valuables from clerk-assisted deposit safes and night deposit safes used by the customers. Above all since banks, credit institutions, retail and wholesale companies, service stations, etc. often do not use certified drop-in and deposit systems which makes them easy targets for criminals. The European Security Systems Association (ESSA) warns about the risk of using out-dated products. "Only deposit systems certified according to the European Standard EN 1143-2 have been tested considering the latest attack methods. The protection against burglary provided by other models is often not sufficient." more

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Services on certified safes
Keep away unauthorised "qualified personnel"
ECB·S certification expires - "Tinkering" is risky for security and insurance coverage
(Key date: 30 June 2008)

FRANKFURT - June 2008. Certified secure storage units require authorised service. Only qualified personnel authorised by the manufacturer and certificate holder are allowed to carry out maintenance tasks, emergency opening, repair and retrofitting jobs. This is what the European Security Systems Association (ESSA) e.V. urges to consider. As soon as unauthorised services providers tamper with them, the ECB·S certification mark automatically expires. The same applies to RAL-certified products. In addition, the insurance claim is at risk. more

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No top quality in low-quality safes ...
Avoid cheap products - look for the ECB"S certification marks when you buy one
(Key date: 09 March 2008)

KÖLN/FRANKFURT/M., March 2008. The general need for security is increasing. Consumers` interest in safes is growing. Which product is really secure? Which volume is needed? And, which criteria should be considered? Josef Reingen from the European Security Systems Association (ESSA) in Frankfurt, the neutral certification body for safes, lists the aspects that are most crucial to the purchasers of a safe. more

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Discs stand no chance in the event of fire
ECB·S-certified data cabinets: Blue mark protects from making the wrong investment
(Key date: 09 March 2008)

KÖLN/FRANKFURT/M., March 2008. When a fire breaks out, the temperature will rise very, very quickly and then destroy, for example, data media like discs in just a few seconds. Protection is provided by data cabinets made of special fire-proof materials. They should by all means be certified and comply with the European Standard EN 1047-1 for "Data cabinets and diskette inserts". Recently this standard was revised to adapt it to current requirements and thus guarantees a high security level. more

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The nightmare of fire: ... everything burnt to ashes ...!
Important paper documents must be protected against fire
(Key date: 09 March 2008)

KÖLN/FRANKFURT/M. - 9 March 2008. In future, light fire storage units for domestic use give proof of their fire resistance with a new ECB·S certification. The blue ECB·S mark with the inscription "LFS 30 P" or "LFS 60 P" guarantees that these products protect important paper documents against flames in the event of a normal fire. The first of such products will soon be launched on the market. more

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Data rooms: ECB·S certification is only granted for maximum security
European Standard is being made more precise - Comparison tests and certificates according to even stricter criteria
(Key date: 29 January 2008)

FRANKFURT - January 2008. Specially built data rooms protect computer centres, hardware and storage media from being burnt to death in the event of fire. Information and communication technology is the motor of a company - for every company, system failures and data losses could spell the "end". Therefore, the European Security Systems Association (ESSA) certifies data rooms according to the European Standard EN 1047-2. At present a more precise wording of this standard is being prepared. The expected new version shall define even more detailed requirements to be fulfilled for the comparison test of wall and ceiling constructions deviating from the type-tested construction. As a result, the manufacturers and users of data rooms whose design and construction needs to be modified due to the individual installation situation must adhere to even more stringent guidelines. more

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Safe check: Which model do I need?
Risk of burglary increases during dark months: ESSA gives advice regarding purchase of a safe
(Key date: 11 January 2008)

FRANKFURT/M., Jan. 2008. The demand for safes goes up during the dark winter months. They shall be big enough, efficient and above all provide resistance. A "pushover" is only good for the burglar and serves him the valuables quasi on a silver tray. The European Security Systems Association (ESSA) has developed a safe check in order to make the selection easier for the consumers. more

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ESSA celebrates 40th anniversary
Established as international certification body - 51 members from 15 countries
(Key date: 03 December 2007)

FRANKFURT/M., December 2007. 40 years of FuP. This landmark anniversary was in the focus of this year's General Assembly of Forschungs- und Prüfgemeinschaft, founded in 1967 and renamed European Security Systems Association (ESSA) in 2005. "Four decades in the course of which this organization could position itself as an important certification body and adjust to higher and higher market requirements", said the Chairman of the Executive Committee, Harald Lüling. On the occasion of this landmark birthday, the globally oriented ESSA could announce the accession of the 51st member. Besides figures, personalia and developments, new scopes of certification and topical projects were presented in Frankfurt. In addition, the speakers informed about mega trends with smart cards and the latest security requirements in security printing. more

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Buying cheap may end up costing more ...
Be careful with bargain safes - Play it safe with the blue ECB·S certification mark
(Key date: 12 September 2007)

FRANKFURT - Sept. 2007. A safe must above all be a secure place. Because everybody buying one wishes to protect valuable possessions. "So better don't buy bargains", recommend the security experts of the European Security Systems Association (ESSA). "Buying cheap may very soon end up costing more." Test series confirmed that a large number of so-called bargains aren't more secure than a piggy bank. They even make it easier when burglars are on the prowl. more

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Better don't use room safes Secure deposit of valuable items at the hotel
(Key date: 20 June 2007)

FRANKFURT - June 2007. For security reasons, most hotel guests deposit their valuable items in their room safes. This, however, is not a safe place: "Many models definitely cannot be trusted and offer hardly any protection", warns the European Security Systems Association (ESSA) before the beginning of the holiday season. "And even the safes installed at the hotel receptions and offices often fail in the event of a burglary or fire." more

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Only every fifth burglary crime is resolved
The criminals make off with their loot - no safe means material and sentimental losses
(Key date: 20 June 2007)

FRANKFURT/M., June 2007. Four of five burglars vanish with their loot, never to be seen again. Of the approximately 106,000 domestic housebreakings in 2006 in Germany, only 19 percent were resolved. More than 80 percent of the reported burglaries end in talk. The chances to get cash, valuable items or documents back are low. The shock is accompanied by material and sentimental losses. Nevertheless, only few own a safe. "For pure thoughtlessness", warns the European Security Systems Association (ESSA), the neutral certification body for safes. "Above all since insurers often don't pay the full amount if no safe is available." more

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The typical chink in the armour: The base
Poorly anchored safes - Criminals remove the total safes
(Key date: 02 May 2007)

FRANKFURT/M., May 2007. Unknown offenders steal a 500 kg safe ... A safe weighing 200 kg removed on a sled ... The media increasingly report about criminals who take away the total safes in order to force them open without being disturbed. In these cases, the criminals often take advantage of a typical chink in the armour: Insufficient anchoring. "The problem here is," says Josef Reingen from the Management of the European Security Systems Association (ESSA), "that free-standing safes with a weight of up to 1000 kg are either not anchored in an expert manner or are anchored into an unsuitable base." more

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Safes and data cabinets
Methods of test for resistance optimized
(Key date: 30 March 2007)

FRANKFURT/M., April 2007. Maximum protection against burglary and fire. This is guaranteed by the European Standards EN 1143-1 and EN 1047-1 to which products providing protection against burglary and fire are classified. Both standards were recently revised to comply with the latest requirements. With respect to burglary resistance, there is now an additional test for high-security safes of resistance grades IV to X. With regard to fire protection, the testing conditions are more rigorous now. more

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Heat means an extremely high risk for business data
Use certified data cabinets - EN Standard 1047-1 up-dated
(Key date: 02 March 2007)

FRANKFURT/M., March 2007. Diskettes and other electronic data media are damaged at about 55 °C already. Sensitive storage media even age when exposed to sunlight. In many safes, the temperature increases so fast in the event of fire that important corporate data are destroyed very quickly. The only reliable preventive measure for the protection of diskettes is using data cabinets made of special fire-resistant materials. Orientation in the jungle of offers is provided by the blue ECB"S certification marks of the European Security Systems Association (ESSA). These products comply with the European Standard EN 1047-1 for fire resistant products which was recently revised and up-dated to meet the latest requirements. more

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High temperatures are real data killers ...
Storage media are extremely sensitive - store at a fire-proof and dark place
(Key date: 02 March 2007)

FRANKFURT/M., March 2007. Online banking, e-mail correspondence, digital holiday photos. Nowadays people also live their private lives with data. What is considered by hardly anyone: While paper chars at temperatures slightly below 180 °C, diskettes and other electronic data media are damaged at about 55 °C already. Sensitive storage media even age quickly under the influence of sunlight. Therefore, they should be stored in special data cabinets where they are optimally protected from fire and light. Before buying one, it is, however, recommendable to have a look at the product description: Models carrying the blue ECB"S certification mark of the European Security Systems Association (ESSA) offer the high security standard set out for fire-resistant products in the European Standard EN 1047-1 which was recently revised and up-dated to meet the latest requirements. more

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Even more security for explosives storage depots in mining
Revision of the regulations considers EU Standards
(Key date: 12 December 2006)

FRANKFURT/M., November 2006. An explosive topic in the true meaning of that word: The storage of explosives. Now this subject is also on the agenda of the European Certification BoardoSecurity Systems (ECBoS) in Frankfurt. Safes, strongroom doors and locking systems in new explosives storage depots in mining must be certified in accordance with the latest European Standards. more

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Today at Emsdetten, tomorrow …? Youngsters easily get hold of weapons
ECBoS warns: Weapons cabinets can easily be forced open
(Key date: 24 November 2006)

FRANKFURT - 21 November 2006. An 18-year old ex-pupil runs amok at his former secondary school, opens fire and injures several people. On Monday, 20 November 2006, this dramatic event in the Westphalian town of Emsdetten made the headlines all over Germany. Weapons in the hands of a person behaving totally unpredictably - a threat that may affect everybody. Because buying weapons is easy. "And stealing weapons is no problem at all," warns the European Certification BoardoSecurity, Fire & Life Safety (ECB·S), the Frankfurt-based neutral certification body for safes. "The weapons law is insufficient. Tests made by VdS-Laboratorien show that existing law permits weapons cabinets which can be forced open with simple tools." more

The "FuP" becomes "ESSA"
Change of name underlines the international orientation
(Key date: 13 October 2006)

FRANKFURT/M., October 2006. Forschungs- und Prüfgemeinschaft Geldschränke und Tresoranlagen e.V. (FuP) has a new name: European Security Systems Association e.V. (ESSA). "The organization thus underlines its growing international orientation. It presently has 44 members from 15 states," says ESSA Managing Director Dr. Wilfried Schäfer. The change of name supports the aim to communicate the system even more strongly in Europe and all around the world in future... more

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Play it safe when buying a safe
Seven important hints and tips: What you should know beforehand ...
(Key date: 28 August 2006)

FRANKFURT/M., August 2006. What`s needed is a safe! Bold burglaries in near-by residential areas have accelerated the decision. But which model is the right one? How much space is needed? And which product is really reliable? The European Certification Board·Security Systems (ECB·S) in Frankfurt, the neutral certification body for safes, has compiled the most important answers for safe buyers: more

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More important than ever before: The protection of valuables...
More burglaries at offices, factories, workshops and storage rooms
(Key date: 12 July 2006)

FRANKFURT/M., July 2006. There are more and more burglaries and thefts in industry and trade. In Rhineland Palatine, the latest 2005 crime statistics showed that the number of burglaries in this segment rose by nearly 13 per cent. In North-Rhine Westphalia, the number of burglaries at business premises rose from 24,000 to just under 28,000 from 2001 to 2005. Last year, more than 180,000 burglaries at workplaces, offices, production sites, workshops and storage rooms were reported all over Germany. And in most cases, the haul is worthwhile: Outdated or low-quality safes make it an easy game for burglars; smaller companies often have no protective containers at all... more

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Only a safe is a secure place...
In the event of a burglary, valuables are protected - pay attention to quality
(Key date: 12 July 2006)

FRANKFURT/M., May 2006. Holiday season and mild nights. Terrace doors are open. In summer, it`s easy for burglars. High-quality safes prevent criminals from gaining access to valuables, cash and jewellery very fast. However, when buying one, you should have a close look: Products of lower quality can be forced open in seconds. Therefore, it is recommendable to use only type-tested, certified and quality-controlled products - recognizable by their blue ECB·S certification mark. The most recent new ones are cost-favourable models for private users that are ECB·S-certified to the new security level S1 and S2 in accordance with the European Standard EN 14 450... more

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Summer time is prime burglary time
New ECB·S-certified secure safe cabinets prevent fast access
(Key date: 09 Mai 2006)

FRANKFURT/M., May 2006. Holiday season and mild nights. Terrace doors are open. In summer, it`s easy for burglars. High-quality safes prevent criminals from gaining access to valuables, cash and jewellery very fast. However, when buying one, you should have a close look: Products of lower quality can be forced open in seconds. Therefore, it is recommendable to use only type-tested, certified and quality-controlled products - recognizable by their blue ECB·S certification mark. The most recent new ones are cost-favourable models for private users that are ECB·S-certified to the new security level S1 and S2 in accordance with the European Standard EN 14 450... more

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Almost 800 ECB•S certificates in 4 years
Quality mark for the protection of valuables has established itself in the market
(Key date: 01 March 2006)

COLOGNE/FRANKFURT/M., March 2006. Since January 2002, the European Certification BoardoSecurity Systems (ECBoS) has issued almost 800 certificates on the basis of European standards. Affixed to about 300,000 series products for the protection of valuables, the blue certification mark signals and guarantees: This product provides type-tested, certified and quality-controlled security that can be trusted... more

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When data burn, the situation gets dicey for the company ...
Physical data protection is often neglected
(Key date: 01 March 2006)

COLOGNE/FRANKFURT/M., March 2006. Fire ... A dreadful scenario which isn't such a rare occurrence at all. According to the insurance yearbook 2005 of the German Insurance Association - Gesamtverband der Deutschen Versicherungs-wirtschaft (GDV) there were 580,000 fires in 2004. For large damages due to fire in industrial companies, the non-life insurers had to pay out 0.54 billion Euros. A considerable sum which is, however, much lower than the real loss that the burnt diskettes, CDs or DVDs mean for the companies concerned. Everybody who does not store valuable data in fire-resistant data cabinets risks the collapse of the total corporate structure... more

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The ECB•S certificate separates the wheat from the chaff
Significant differences in quality between safes
(Key date: 01 March 2006)

COLOGNE/FRANKFURT/M., March 2006. Not all safes are equal. Significant differences in quality and a dense jungle of offers make it difficult for the buyer to make the right decision. Optimum guidance is provided by the certification mark of the European Certification BoardoSecurity Systems (ECB•S). This quality mark issued by the ECB•S as a neutral certification body to EN 45 011 guarantees maximum security features in accordance with European standards. Purchasing a safe is only worthwhile if the selected model satisfies the requirements of the European Standard EN 14 450 (Security level S1 or S2). For higher security requirements, there are safes in accordance with EN 1143-1 from resistance grade 0 on... more

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Small guide gives valuable hints on which safe to buy
ECB•S developed guidelines for consumers
(Key date: 23 January 2006)

FRANKFURT/M., January 2006. "Security with stamp and seal". This is the title of a new leaflet giving advice about safes as well as the protection of valuables and data. With many hints and background information that every consumer should always consider when buying a safe. Because a product of poor quality is worse than no product at all - in the event of a burglary, it will make it easier for an intruder to find what he is looking for. Editor of the guidelines is the ECB•S, the neutral certification body according to EN 45 011 for secure storage units that is recognized throughout Europe... more

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