What happened?
On November 9, 2026, the VdS Training Center will hold its new Perimeter Protection conference for the first time at the Hotel Pullman in Cologne. The event is aimed at all those who plan, operate, or further develop perimeter protection concepts, and is intended to provide up-to-date information on protecting companies and critical infrastructures. In addition to the conference, the VdS Training Center will for the first time offer a two-day Perimeter Security course, taking place from December 17 to 18, also in Cologne.
The details
The conference focuses on the VdS Security Guideline for Perimeter Protection (VdS 3143), which will be published in a new version by the time of the conference and will be presented in detail and made available on-site. In addition, the impact of the KRITIS Umbrella Act on perimeter protection, as well as the classification of relevant technical and organizational measures, will be discussed. Practical reports are intended to demonstrate how modern perimeter protection solutions can be implemented in an economical, risk-oriented, and standards-compliant manner.
The lecture program includes, among others, the following topics:
- Presentation of the new Perimeter Guideline
- Risk-based planning and proportionality
- More than fence and gate: perimeter protection within an integrated security concept
- Smart perimeter security: reality vs. hype in AI-supported video analytics
- When walls get IP addresses
- Regulatory framework: KRITIS Umbrella Act and BSIG 3.0 (NIS 2)
- The role of access protection in perimeter security
- Perimeter security in practice – KRITIS companies prepare for current threats
- Drones in use at the perimeter: 24/7, automated, centrally controlled
Speakers include representatives from security consultancies, insurance companies, security service providers, and the Stiftung Deutsches Forum für Kriminalprävention (German Foundation for Crime Prevention). The target audience for the conference includes security officers, operators of critical infrastructures, heads of corporate security, security planners, installers, insurers, experts, and government representatives.
Context
The perimeter is considered the outermost edge of a security concept and thus represents the first line of defense for companies, critical infrastructures, and particularly vulnerable sites. According to VdS, the importance of holistic, risk-oriented protection concepts is continuously growing due to new threat scenarios and increasing security requirements. The inclusion of the KRITIS Umbrella Act and BSIG 3.0 (NIS 2) in the conference program shows that regulatory developments are increasingly having a direct impact on the technical and organizational design of perimeter protection concepts. For security industry professionals, the conference thus offers an opportunity to familiarize themselves early on with the new requirements of the revised VdS 3143 as well as the legal framework conditions.
Practical tips
- Security officers and planners should familiarize themselves early with the new version of the VdS Security Guideline for Perimeter Protection (VdS 3143), as it serves as the central reference document for perimeter protection concepts.
- Companies with KRITIS relevance should review the impact of the KRITIS Umbrella Act and BSIG 3.0 (NIS 2) on existing protection concepts and adapt them if necessary.
- Those requiring more in-depth background knowledge on perimeter detection systems can take advantage of the accompanying two-day course, which is recognized throughout Europe and also conveys knowledge of tender specifications and planning examples.
- According to the conference program, a risk-oriented approach taking economic viability and standards compliance into account is recommended when evaluating perimeter protection solutions.
Outlook
With the new conference and the first-ever Perimeter Security course, the VdS Training Center is expanding its offering in the field of perimeter protection with two coordinated formats: a one-day conference for professional exchange and a two-day course for in-depth qualification. The publication of the new version of VdS 3143 by the time of the conference is likely to be followed with interest by the industry, as it will foreseeably serve as a guide for future planning and tenders in perimeter protection. Further details on the program and registration for both events are available online from the VdS Training Center.
