Financial Overview
As a customer-funded organisation, the CMRE operates on a no-profit, no-loss basis. However, building reserves is essential to ensuring long-term sustainability and the continuation of world-class scientific research. Over the past three years, increased revenues have enabled the Centre to recover from previously accumulated operational deficits and prepare for future cash requirements. The financial results for 2022 – 2024 reflect a surplus, underscoring the Centre’s focus on maintaining financial stability.
Between 2018 and 2022, CMRE’s average annual revenue was 26.0 MEUR, compared to 2023–2024, where revenues exceeded 35.0 MEUR annually. NATO Allied Command Transformation (NATO ACT) remains the Centre’s primary customer, contributing more than 80% of annual revenue. Additional revenue is derived from other NATO bodies, national government organisations, industry, and international organisations.
For 2025, NATO approved CMRE’s indirect cost recovery rate, which determines customer charge-out rates. This rate, covering overheads such as administrative labour, vessel maintenance, and IT infrastructure, was 71.2% in 2024 and will remain unchanged in 2025. This stability ensures the Centre can address key costs, replenish reserves, and offer competitive rates. Similarly, the daily charge-out rate for the NRV Alliance has remained stable, ensuring it remains competitive among global-class research vessels.
The Centre has a positive financial outlook, with projected revenues of 33.0 MEUR or higher over the next three years. Rigorous cost management remains a priority to ensure cash flow supports timely delivery of the Programme of Work (PoW). Workforce costs, comprising nearly 50% of total expenses, are the Centre’s largest single expenditure. Recruitment efforts focus on acquiring the skills necessary to meet deliverables while maintaining sound financial management.
Through strategic business practices, the Centre is well-positioned to strengthen its financial stability and continue delivering high-value, customer-funded research in the years ahead.
Human Resources
The Human Resources (HR) Branch plays a central role in attracting, developing, and retaining a highly skilled and diverse workforce in support of NATO CMRE’s mission. With a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion, and accessibility, the Branch delivers a wide range of essential services, including payroll, pensions, contracts, training, and legal and health support. It also facilitates the smooth integration of staff and their families upon arrival at the Centre. CMRE continues to prioritise the promotion of a respectful, inclusive, and harassment-free working environment, upholding these principles in all circumstances.
CMRE remains committed to maintaining a workforce that reflects the diversity of NATO member nations, with a particular focus on recruiting early-career scientists, engineers, and technologists. This approach supports the highest standards of excellence in science and technology and directly contributes to NATO’s strategic objectives. Reflecting the Centre’s emphasis on high-calibre talent, approximately 80% of CMRE’s scientific staff hold a Ph.D., enabling the organisation to address complex scientific and technological challenges effectively.
The HR branch regularly advertises employment opportunities through NATO’s TALEO recruitment platform, as well as via the Centre’s LinkedIn page, to maximise outreach across the Alliance and attract top talent.
In 2025, the HR Branch focused on streamlining processes, enhancing transparency, efficiency and the overall staff experience. The HR Branch further strengthened professional development through targeted and structured training and leadership initiatives, supporting both technical excellence and future leadership capability. Moreover, the HR Branch promoted the effective integration of the Centre’s multinational workforce in the Host Nation, offering, twice a week in the CMRE Library, an in-depth Beginner and an Advanced level Italian Language Course.
2025 highlights
- CMRE counted 155 NATO International Civilians (NICs) from 19 NATO nations at the end of 2025, confirming a positive growth trend from 2022 onwards (see Figure 1)
- 23 new NICs were recruited in 2025, representing 6 different NATO nation
- Staff turnover remained low, with 5 departures recorded during the year
- The Visiting Researcher Programme continued to strengthen collaboration with leading academic and research institutions. In 2025, 50 Visiting Scientists from 10 NATO nations contributed to CMRE projects;
- Interest in career opportunities remained strong, with 1739 applications received through the TALEO recruitment platform
- More than 50% of staff completed structured training, including PRINCE2, Agile PM, and courses on leadership, cybersecurity, IT, and resource management, delivered via NATO School Oberammergau, NCI Academy, and other qualified providers
- A new teleworking policy was widely welcomed, improving workplace flexibility and satisfaction
The average age of CMRE staff remains 47 years, with an average length of service of 10 years, demonstrating the Centre’s continued success in attracting and retaining experienced professionals.
2025 highlights
