The Critical Infrastructure Preparedness and Resilience Research Network or CIPRNet establishes a Network of Excellence in Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) R&D for a wide range of stakeholders including (multi)national emergency management, critical infrastructure (CI) operators, policy makers, and the society.CIPRNet builds a long-lasting, durable virtual centre of shared and integrated knowledge and expertise in CIP and CI MS&A (Modelling, Simulation and Analysis) by integrating part of the resources of the CIPRNet partners and their R&D activities acquired in more than 50 EU co-funded projects. This centre will form the foundation for the European Infrastructures Simulation & Analysis Centre (EISAC) by 2020.CIPRNet will strengthen and structure the European Research Area on CIP by using its network to outreach and link isolated research kernels and adjacent R&D areas. Activities include training and the ‘ask the CIPRNet expert’ service to find and access the right pockets of CIP expertise in Europe. Moreover, CIPRNet enhances the resilience of CI in Europe by improving the knowledge and understanding, preparation and mitigation of CI disruptions and their consequences.The CIPRNet Joint Programme of Activities (JPA) integrates and makes complementary use of CIP and related knowledge, expertise, and resources (e.g., tools, methods, top experts and other staff) of the partners. The JPA forms the stepping stone for the development of the long-lasting cooperation and integration of R&D activities of the partners. The European CIP innovation process is boosted as substantial resources are integrated and focussed on the creation of added-value decision-support capabilities for (multi)national emergency management and CI owners. These capabilities provide timely, actionable, risk-informed CIP analyses and strategies that support the preparation for, response to, and recovery from major CI disruptions. The interest in CIPRNet is shown by 24 letters of support.