COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Establishing a European Law Enforcement Training Scheme
Date: 2013-03-27
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: CEPOL, European security, Europol, Frontex, fight against crime, in-service training, prevention of delinquency

EUROPEAN 
COMMISSION 

Brussels, 27.3.2013  
COM(2013) 172 final 

COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Establishing a European Law Enforcement Training Scheme 

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COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN 
PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL 
COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS 

Establishing a European Law Enforcement Training Scheme 

1. 

INTRODUCTION 

Transnational crime can only be countered by cross-border cooperation, with police, customs, 
border  guards  and  other  authorities  working  together.  Unless  those  authorities  are  properly 
trained, and unless there is sufficient mutual trust, such cooperation will not be effective. 

There  has  already  been  considerable  progress  in  implementing  training  on  cross-border 
matters  in  the  EU.  For  instance,  common  curricula  and  exchange  programmes  for  law 
enforcement officers have been developed and implemented for a number of years. Member 
States are involved in this joint effort with EU agencies such as the European Police College 
(CEPOL),  the  European  Police  Office  (Europol)  and  the  European  Agency  for  the 
Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the 
European  Union  (Frontex).  In  2012,  more  than  300  exchange  programmes  between  law 
enforcement officers across the EU were organised. New learning methods, such as CEPOL’s 
‘webinars’ were used by more than 3 000 participants in 2012. Participation in EU training is 
growing, with more than 5 000 enrolled at CEPOL and 3 000 at Frontex last year. 

However,  more  needs  to  be  done,  for  instance,  to  raise  the  profile  of  EU  instruments  for 
police cooperation and the role of EU agencies created to support law enforcement services in 
fighting crime. More officials should use the resources available to reach their full potential. 
Training should adequately respond to training needs and more firmly support priorities such 
as fighting cybercrime1 and trafficking in drugs and in human beings, agreed at EU level for 
operational  cooperation.  Effective  coordination  between  Member  States  and  EU  agencies, 
taking  into  account  the  work  by  international  organisations  such  as  Interpol  and  the  United 
Nations, is needed to ensure a coherent approach to training to the highest quality standards at 
EU level. 

That is why this Communication proposes a European Law Enforcement Training Scheme 
(hereafter  ‘LETS’,  or  ‘the  Training  Scheme’)  to  equip  law  enforcement  officers  with  the 
knowledge and skills they need to prevent and combat cross-border crime effectively through 
efficient cooperation with their EU colleagues. The Training Scheme aims to make the EU’s 
response  to  common  security  challenges  more  effective,  to  raise  the  standard  of  policing 
across the EU and to stimulate the development of a common law enforcement culture as a 
means  of  enhancing  mutual  trust  and  cooperation.  It  seeks  to  identify  and  address  gaps  in 
existing  law  enforcement  training  on  cross-border  matters  by  supporting  and,  where 
appropriate,  by  coordinating  the  delivery  of  training  by  European  and  national  centres  of 
excellence. 

1 

Taking into account the EU cyber security strategy; Joint communication to the European Parliament, 
the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions; Cyber 
security Strategy of the European Union: An Open, Safe and Secure Cyberspace. 7.2.2013 JOIN (2013) 
1final. 

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The Training Scheme responds to the European Council’s call, in the Stockholm Programme2, 
to  step  up  training  on  EU-related  issues  and  to  make  them  systematically  accessible  for  all 
relevant law enforcement professionals, and to requests from the  European Parliament  for a 
stronger EU framework for judicial and police training3. It seeks to ensure that: 

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law  enforcement  cooperation  instruments  that  the  EU  has  developed  over  time, 
such as Prüm information exchange4 and Europol’s criminal intelligence data bases, 
are  better  known  and  used  both  in  bilateral  and  multilateral  contacts  between 
Member States. 

EU law enforcement officials are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to 
tackle transnational crimes causing the greatest harm to victims and society as a 
whole. 

law  enforcement  officials  cooperating  with  third  countries  or  taking  part  in  EU 
civilian missions there are properly trained. 

The Training Scheme proposed in this Communication applies to law enforcement officials 
of  all  ranks,  from  police  officers  to  border  guards  and  customs  officers,  as  well  as,  where 
appropriate,  other  state  officials,  such  as  prosecutors5.  Learning  facilitated  by  the  Training 
Scheme  or  provided  under  it  should  build  upon  existing  training  at  national  and  EU  level  
and  should  be  based  on  regular  assessments  of  training  needs.  Training  should  be  offered 
through  modern,  effective  learning  tools,  such  as  specialised  courses,  common  curricula,  
web-based learning materials, and exchange programmes. 

To  implement  the  training  effort  envisaged  in  this  Communication,  an  EU  agency  with  the 
appropriate  legal  mandate  and  the  necessary  resources  is  needed.  In  parallel  with  this 
Communication,  the  Commission  therefore  proposes  a  new  legal  framework  for  Europol, 
granting it powers to work on training which exceed those of CEPOL — presently the only 
EU agency responsible exclusively for law enforcement training. By simultaneously closing 
CEPOL, synergies will be created, as training will be close to operational work and embedded 
in a bigger structure, and administrative costs will go down, freeing up resources to deliver 
more output under the Training Scheme. 

A  new  training  directorate  at  Europol,  the  Europol  Academy,  will  therefore  be  expected  to 
implement the Training Scheme, with a focus on quality standards. Pending adoption of the 
proposed  merger  by  the  Council  and  European  Parliament  and  its  entry  into  force,  CEPOL 
will assume this role as far as possible. Implementing the scheme will require a joint effort on 
the  part  of  the  network  of  national  training  academies,  national  border  guard  and  customs 
academies  (hereafter  ‘the  network  of  national  training  academies’)  the  Europol  Academy 
other  JHA  agencies  —  Frontex  in  particular.  The  Commission’s  role  will  mainly  be  to 
monitor progress in the implementation. 

This  Communication  draws  on  a  mapping  of  training  needs  and  delivery  conducted  by 
CEPOL6,  consultations  with  Member  States’  experts  and  JHA  agencies  in  four  expert 

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The Stockholm Programme  — An open and secure Europe serving and protecting citizens, OJ C115, 
4.5.2010, p. 1. 
See  e.g.  European  Parliament  resolution  of  14  December  2011  on  the  EU  Counter-Terrorism  Policy: 
main achievements and future challenges (2010/2311(INI)). 
Council  Decision  2008/615/JHA  and  Council  Decision  2008/616/JHA,  OJ  L  210,  6.8.2008,  p. 1  and  
p.12. 
It thereby complements the EU’s policy for judicial training, see Building trust in EU-wide justice: a 
new dimension to European judicial training, COM(2011) 551 final. 
European Training Scheme — Mapping of Law Enforcement Training in the EU, CEPOL 2012 

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meetings and three conferences in which members of the European Parliament took part, held 
in 2011 and 2012. 

The  Europol  Academy  will  be  the  coordinating  EU  entity  for  law  enforcement  training. 
However, Frontex will remain responsible for training border guards, in accordance with its 
legal framework. 

2. 

2.1. 

EU STRATEGIC PRIORITIES ON CRIME AND SECURITY AND THE TRAINING GAP 

Current EU training context 

There  are  structures  for  training  law  enforcement  officials  in  all  Member  States,  as  well  as 
systematic  cooperation  with  EU  agencies  in  the  JHA  domain.  At  EU  level,  the  following 
agencies are active in training law enforcement officials.  

CEPOL works closely with the network of national training academies. In 2012, it organised 
86  classroom  courses  for  2059  participants  on  a  range  of  topics,  including  specific  law 
enforcement techniques, such as police interviews and techniques for murder investigations, 
training  on  economic  crime,  such  as  asset  recovery  and  money  laundering,  and  crisis 
management. CEPOL has also developed expertise in ‘training the trainers’, implemented the 
‘Exchange  Programme  for  police  officers  inspired  by  Erasmus’7,  and  established  online 
learning  modules  on  topics  such  as  cybercrime,  joint  investigation  teams  and  mobile 
organised  crime  groups.  However,  such  training  is  only  made  available  to  senior  police 
officers because of limitations in CEPOL’s legal mandate, and budgetary constraints limit the 
number of courses.  

Europol works closely with CEPOL in providing courses under CEPOL’s framework and has 
developed  several  courses  related  to  crime  analysis  and  specific  types  of  crime,  such  as 
cybercrime.  Frontex  has  a  specific  mandate  to  train  border  guards8  and  has  developed 
common  curricula  implemented  by  Member  States,  including  a  quality  framework  for 
guarding  borders9.  The  European  Anti-Fraud  Office  (OLAF)  runs  two  specific  programmes 
dealing with training on fighting euro counterfeiting and on protecting the financial interest of 
the EU. The Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) offers fundamental rights training tools for 
police  trainers.  The  European  Monitoring  Centre  for  Drugs  and  Drug  Addiction 
(EMCDDA)  and  the  European  Asylum  Support  Office  (EASO)  are  both  involved  in 
training on specific topics relevant to their mandates. 

At national level, where most training of law enforcement officials continues to take place, 
specialised issues such as drug trafficking, cybercrime, financial crime and money laundering, 
cross-border organised crime investigations, and EU legal issues, are generally covered, and 
often implemented as part of bilateral cooperation between Member States. Still, consultations 
with experts point to a clear need for more training, with EU support, in these areas. 

Internationally, organisations such as Interpol and the United Nations (UN) offer training on 
law  enforcement,  anti-terrorism  and  crisis  management.  Interpol  provides  e-learning  on 
various topics such as drug investigation, interrogation and terrorism-related topics. The UN 
offers  a  variety  of  courses  on  crisis  management.  While  valuable  for  EU  law  enforcement 

7 
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8309/1/10 REV 1 ENFOPOL 93. 
Article  5  of  Regulation  No  1168/2011  amending  Council  Regulation  No  2007/2004  establishing  a 
European  Agency  for  the  Management  of  Operational  Cooperation  at  the  external  borders  of  the 
Member States of the European Union of 25 October 2011, OJ L304, 22.11.2011, p. 1. 
Sectoral Qualifications Framework for Border Guards; www.frontex.europa.eu/training 

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authorities  in  complementing  other  training,  such  courses  rarely  cover  specific  EU 
instruments and are not generally designed with EU policing standards in mind. 

2.2. 

The need for training in EU internal and external priority areas 

Effective cross-border law enforcement cooperation starts with equipping officials with basic 
knowledge on the EU policing context and on available tools, such as Europol and Eurojust, 
or  instruments  for  information  exchange,  such  as  the  Prüm  Decisions10.  Knowledge  and 
understanding  of  cross-border  policing  is  an  indispensable  starting  point  for  officers  to  be 
involved  in  cross-border  cooperation,  both  bilaterally  and  multilaterally,  and  for  building 
mutual trust. 

The EU has defined priorities for action against common threats in the areas of serious and 
organised  crime,  terrorism,  cybercrime,  border  security  and  crisis  management.  These 
priorities will be kept under regular review, based on the Serious and Organised Crime Threat 
Assessment (SOCTA) produced by Europol every four years (as from 2013). To reduce the 
harm that these threats cause and to support operational priorities agreed at EU level to tackle 
them, specialised training should be provided where needed. 

The EU takes responsibility for supporting capacity-building in third countries by providing 
mentoring and advice and by helping to establish sustainable civilian police structures run in 
accordance with international standards. Civilian missions take place in third countries under 
the  coordination  of  the  European  External  Action  Service  (EEAS).  Over  1000  EU  law 
enforcement  officials  are  deployed  in  missions  each  year  to  places  such  as  (in  2012)  South 
Sudan,  Kosovo,  Niger  and  Iraq.  The  role  of  law  enforcement  in  these  missions  focuses  on 
policing,  the  rule  of  law,  civilian  administration,  and  civil  protection.  Member  States  also 
work with third countries bilaterally to assist in building law enforcement capacity where the 
EU is involved, for instance, in the emerging democracies in North Africa. 

2.3. 

Training gaps 

Despite  the  efforts  of  national,  EU  and  international  actors  and  cooperation  between  them, 
there are still significant gaps between training needs and training currently available in the 
EU11. 

Member States’ training programmes usually cover basic knowledge of EU instruments and 
the EU dimension of day-to-day policing, but not necessarily to a consistent standard. 

Law enforcement authorities and EU agencies have pointed to a lack of qualified trainers and 
consistent  learning  materials  on  cross-border  investigations.  Training  organised  by  EU 
agencies  on  specialised  policing  themes,  such  as  financial  crime,  money  laundering,  human 
trafficking and drug trafficking are in high demand. If the Europol Academy coordinates and 
delivers such training, this will reduce costs by reducing the need for each Member State to 
invest in similar programmes. 

Exchange  programmes  for  police,  border  guards  and  customs  officers  with  investigative 
powers are already helping to spread good practice and to build trust. Subject to availability of 
funds, such programmes should be made available more widely, in principle for all ranks and 
between all agencies within the scope of the Training Scheme. 

More generally, language skills, including English, which is increasingly used in cross-border 
cooperation,  are  a  crucial  competence  for  all  law  enforcement  officials  involved  in  cross-

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Council  Decision  2008/615/JHA  and  Council  Decision  2008/616/JHA,  OJ  L  210,  6.8.2008,  p. 1  and 
p.12. 
Source: CEPOL’s exercise, cited in footnote 6. 

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border cooperation. However, there are still too few officials available with language skills of 
a sufficiently high standard in many Member States. 

Pre-deployment  training  for  civilian  missions  often  lacks  coordination  and  standardisation, 
leading to unacceptable differences in the level of preparedness of staff deployed. 

There is, moreover, scope for more consistent and efficient help to third countries requesting 
assistance  in  law  enforcement  capacity-building  by  offering  training,  or  sharing  knowledge 
and good practices. 

In  general,  the  EU  lacks  a  transparent  quality  framework  for  trainers  operating  at  EU  level 
and  a  systematic  process  for  identifying  and  addressing  strategic  training  needs,  which  are 
constantly evolving.  

3. 

FOUR EU TRAINING STRANDS 

To step up the development, delivery and evaluation of the training and learning opportunities 
needed  to  meet  the  EU’s  cross-border  law  enforcement  challenges,  the  Training  Scheme 
should  focus  on  improving  knowledge,  skills  and  competence12  across  four  strands.  These 
range from generic knowledge to highly specialised competencies, and all build upon existing 
training at national, EU and international level. 

3.1. 
Strand 1: Basic knowledge of the EU dimension of Law Enforcement  
Any of the EU’s 1.9 million law enforcement officials13 might have to deal with cross-border 
crime  at  some  point  in  their  working  lives.  Knowledge  of  EU  and  cross-border  aspects  of 
policing is a core competence in terms of operational effectiveness and career development. 
This  knowledge  should  include  principles  of  effective  law  enforcement  cooperation, 
fundamental rights, the role of Europol, Frontex and Eurojust and the use of EU information 
management  tools  and  channels  such  as  the  ‘Swedish  Initiative’14  and  the  Schengen 
Information  System15.  Without  this,  there  is  a  risk  of  serious  inefficiencies  in  cross-border 
policing. 

Therefore,  a  standard  minimum  level  of  knowledge  and  skills  on  the  EU  context  of  law 
enforcement  should  be  developed  for  all  law  enforcement  officials  at  all  ranks.  This  should 
contribute to developing a common law enforcement culture. 

The  Commission  will  encourage  Member  States  to  implement  this  competence  into  their 
initial  and  vocational  training  for  officials,  and  on  training  days  for  officials  already  on  the 
job. The Europol Academy will monitor and evaluate its follow-up and the outcomes will be 
included in a Commission report every three years (see section 5.4). 

In the first semester of 2014, CEPOL, in cooperation with Member States and Frontex, will 
propose a standard EU level of knowledge and skills for all law enforcement officials on the 
EU dimension of law enforcement. 

12 

13 
14 
15 

Learning outcomes in conformity with the European Qualifications Framework for Lifelong Learning 
(EQF) contain knowledge, skills and competences. 
Eurostat — estimate 1.9 m. 
Council Framework Decision 2006/960/JHA, OJ L 386, 29.12.2006, p. 89. 
Convention implementing the Schengen Agreement of 14 June 1985, OJ L 239, 22.9.2000, p. 19. 

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3.2. 

Strand 2: Effective bilateral and regional cooperation 

The success of cross-border police operations depends, in part, on law enforcement officials’ 
ability  to  apply  EU  and  international  instruments  such  as  the  European  Arrest  Warrant16, 
rogatory letters17 and readmission procedures18. Law  enforcement officials should also  have 
more specific knowledge of bilateral arrangements between Member States and the ability to 
communicate  in  relevant  languages,  with  an  awareness  of  cultural  differences  and 
sensitivities. 

Member States will be encouraged to provide appropriate national training at a more in-depth 
level  than  the  standard  competence  for  strand  1,  while  further  developing  bilateral  and 
regional  training  projects  for  cross-border  cooperation.  The  Europol  Academy  will  support 
Member States where requested, by providing learning tools and collecting and disseminating 
best practices. 

By the end of 2013, CEPOL should present to the Standing Committee on Internal Security 
(COSI)  a  work  plan  to  support  bilateral  and  regional  training.  In  2014,  CEPOL  should 
present  an  updated  overview  of  bilateral  training  activities  and  training  needs  in  Member 
States  and  subsequently  pro-actively  offer  available  best  practices  meeting  those  needs.  On 
request by Member States, CEPOL could make available appropriate learning tools. 

3.3. 

Strand 3: EU thematic policing specialism 

The EU’s priorities for cross-border law enforcement cooperation are defined in the Internal 
Security Strategy19 and the EU policy cycle on serious and organised crime20, which is based 
on  Europol’s  Organised  Crime  Threat  Assessment  (OCTA)  and  as  from  2013,  on  Serious 
Organised Crime Threat Assessment (SOCTA). Each of those priorities points to a need for 
an efficient, targeted approach to training on a specialised, thematic level for a limited group 
of  officials.  Training  on  specific  themes  such  as  trafficking  in  drugs,  human  beings  and 
firearms, cybercrime, corruption, confiscation of criminal assets, and financial investigations 
will bring together experts from Member States who will exchange best practices in addition 
to  receiving  the  training  itself,  and  also  network,  which  will  enhance  mutual  trust.  Such 
training could also, when particularly relevant for the priority in question, cover interagency 
cooperation at national or European level between different law enforcement agencies such as 
police, border guards and customs. 

In close cooperation with the network of national training academies, the Europol Academy 
should analyse training needs to identify gaps between existing specialist Member State-level 
and  international  training  and  the  skills  and  knowledge  required  in  these  areas.  Training 
should be delivered through the network of national training academies or, where appropriate, 

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20 

Council  Framework  Decision  2002/584/JHA  of  13 June 2002  on  the  European  arrest  warrant  and  the 
surrender procedures between Member States, OJ 190, 18.7.2002, p. 1. 
A rogatory letter is a formal request from a court in one country to ‘the appropriate judicial authorities’ 
in  another  country  requesting  compulsion  of  testimony,  documentary  or  other  evidence,  or  effect  of 
service of process. 
A readmission agreement regulates the return and readmission of persons between two or more states in 
a treaty of international law. 
Communication  from  the  Commission  to  the  European  Parliament  and  the  Council  of  22  November 
2010,  The  EU  Internal  Security  Strategy  in  Action:  Five  steps  towards  a  more  secure  Europe, 
COM(2010) 673 final. 
Council conclusions on setting the EU’s priorities for the fight against organised crime between 2011 
and 2013, 11050/11, 6 June 2011. 

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directly  by  the  Europol  Academy.  It  should  typically  take  the  form  of  classroom  courses, 
supplemented  by  e-learning  tools.  This  strand  will  eventually  require  certification  of 
specialised  training  according  to  agreed  quality  standards  to  be  recognised  by  all  Member 
States (see section 4.2). The Europol Academy’s annual budget, as part of Europol’s overall 
budget, should be primarily devoted to implementing this strand. 

Once the priorities for the ‘EU policy cycle on serious and organised crime’ for the period 
2013-2017 are set, CEPOL should carry out, and submit to COSI by the end of 2013, a gap 
analysis. On this basis, training under Strand 3 can be developed by CEPOL and the network 
of national police academies as from 2014. 

3.4. 

Strand 4: Civilian missions and capacity-building in third countries 

All law enforcement officials who take part in EU civilian missions in third countries should 
have  pre-deployment  training  as  a  precondition  for  deployment.  Member  States  and  the 
Europol Academy should recognise, support and build on existing training initiatives such as 
Europe’s  New  Training  Initiative  for  Civilian  Crisis  Management21,  an  EU-funded 
programme  drawing  together  expertise  from  across  the  EU,  the  United  Nations  and  other 
international bodies to prepare personnel participating in civilian missions. Training institutes 
for  crisis  management  in  Member  States  that  provide  training  for  deployment  on  a  civilian 
mission could operate as centres of excellence for implementing Strand 4 and train officials 
from Member States that do not have such centres, coordinated by the Europol Academy. 

In  the  interest  of  a  consistent  EU  approach,  the  Europol  Academy  should  also  provide 
guidance and expertise to EU-funded assistance programmes related to law enforcement. 

Finally, the Europol Academy should liaise with Member States and Frontex on requests from 
third  countries  for  assistance  on  law  enforcement  capacity-building.  It  should  ensure  that 
responses  to  requests  for  training  and  knowledge-sharing  are  as  effective  as  possible  and 
avoid duplication among the parties involved. 

The  Europol  Academy  (coordinating)  and  the  EEAS  in  cooperation  with  Frontex  should 
devise  a  common  curriculum  for  pre-deployment  training  and  for  other  mission-specific 
training to be implemented in 2015. 

Building  upon  CEPOL’s  2012  mapping  exercise,  CEPOL  and  the  Europol  Academy  should 
include training on Strand 4 in future (strategic) training needs analyses. 

4. 

AN EFFICIENT APPROACH TO TRAINING IN LINE WITH EU PRIORITIES 

For each of the four strands above, the Training Scheme should be implemented according to 
four guiding principles.  

4.1. 

Identifying needs 

All EU-level law enforcement training should adapt to changing needs. Every four years, the 
Europol  Academy  should  conduct  a  coordinated  strategic  EU  law  enforcement  training 
needs analysis in close cooperation with Member States, Frontex, Eurojust, the EEAS, EASO 
the FRA and the Commission. It should address long-term competence developments for law 
enforcement,  improvements  in  the  quality  of  learning  (see  section  4.2)  and  gaps  in  training 
linked  to  the  JHA  strategies  and  policies.  In  this  respect,  statistical  data  should  be  made 

21 

http://www.entriforccm.eu. 

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available every year to provide an overview, in particular as regards number of police officials 
trained and type of training received. This will inform the Commission, Member States, and 
the EEAS in determining how to deploy resources and which officials should be targeted for 
specialised  training.  Within  this  strategic  framework,  the  Europol  Academy  and  Frontex 
should, on an annual basis, do a regular training need analysis to determine what training to 
offer  within  their  respective  mandates.  The  annual  analysis  should  be  aligned  with  the  EU 
policy  cycle  on  serious  and  organised  crime  priorities,  once  this  is  defined  in  2013.  All 
analyses should identify: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

New learning outcomes to be developed; 

Performance  gaps  and  how  they  can  be  closed  through  high-quality  training  which 
complements existing EU or national programmes; and 

Resources required. 

A first coordinated strategic EU law enforcement training needs analysis should be presented 
in 2014. It should be presented to COSI and endorsed by the Council. 

4.2. 

High quality delivery 

There  is  a  need  for  mutual  recognition  of  law  enforcement-related  skills  and  knowledge. 
Member States are already taking advantage of existing general academic initiatives such as 
the  Bologna  and  Copenhagen  processes22,  which  develop  comparable  and  equivalent 
standards  for  degrees  and  other  qualifications  at  various  levels  (based  on  the  European 
Qualifications  Framework  for  lifelong  learning23)  and  vocational  education  and  training, 
through a system of cumulative study points recognised throughout Europe (ECTS)24. 

The  Training  Scheme  should  build  on  these  quality-recognition  initiatives,  placing  an 
emphasis  on  lifelong  learning  principles.  The  Commission  considers  that  comparable 
qualifications  at  EU  level  for  law  enforcement  training  (i.e.  a  sectorial  qualifications 
framework) should be established and implemented by 2020. This would apply to strands 3 
and 4. As a first step, the Europol Academy should ensure that EU level training modules and 
courses  are  designed  in  accordance  with  the  ECTS  points  system  and  in  terms  of  clear 
learning outcomes. Member States are also encouraged to take steps to apply the ECTS points 
system to their national training modules.  

In addition, there should be a specific profile for trainers acting at EU level under the Training 
Scheme.  This  should  contain  a  definition  of  teaching  skills,  specialist  knowledge  and 
language proficiency. If necessary, trainers should be offered training to optimise these skills. 
The Europol Academy, in close cooperation with Member States and Frontex, should develop 
such a profile and implement a mechanism for final selection, monitoring and evaluation of 
trainers by the first semester of 2014. 

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The  Bologna  Declaration  of  19  June  1999;  the  Copenhagen  Declaration  convened  on  29  and  30 
November 2002. 
EQF  provides  a  common  reference  framework  which  assists  in  comparing  the  national  qualifications 
systems, frameworks and their levels by making qualifications more readable and understandable across 
different countries and systems in Europe. 
The European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) provides generally valid and accepted 
procedures for the recognition of study qualifications gained by students on courses outside their home 
country. 

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To enhance quality of training provided under the Scheme, CEPOL and other actors involved 
will be encouraged to draw on the expertise of, and develop partnership with, private parties 
such as financial institutions and IT companies. 

CEPOL should present an action plan in consultation with Member States and JHA agencies 
in 2014 on the establishment of a common quality framework for law enforcement learning to 
be implemented by 2020 and present it to COSI. 

4.3. 

Enhancing career development for law enforcement officials 

With reference  to  the development of quality frameworks described in section 4.2, Member 
States  should  recognise  the  EU  portfolio  of  skills,  knowledge  and  competences  acquired 
under the Training Scheme as forming part of the portfolio that officials build up at national 
level.  Training  offered  under  the  Scheme  should  become  a  natural  component  of  a  law 
enforcement  official’s  training  portfolio,  in  line  with  the  principles  of  lifelong  learning. 
Member States  should  make  full  use of training tools such as e-learning,  common  curricula 
and exchange programmes  or  using  the train-the-trainer concept. Training under strand 3 of 
the  Scheme  will,  in  particular,  help  fill  gaps  between  training  needs  and  training  currently 
available at national and international level. 

4.4. 

Efficient use of resources 

The  Training  Scheme  aims  to  deliver  efficiencies  through  greater  specialisation,  more 
effective  coordination,  exploiting  synergies  and  eliminating  duplication,  and  by  aligning 
training  needs  more  closely  with  delivery.  The  Europol  Academy  and  the  national  police 
academies  should  exploit  the  most  efficient  training  methods  to  achieve  learning  outcomes, 
using e-learning tools, for instance. 

According  to  an  external  study  undertaken  on  behalf  of  the  Commission,  the  overall  direct 
costs of implementing and administering the Training Scheme are estimated at €
 3.4 million 
(in  current  prices)  for  the  period  2013–2020.  This  would  include  the  costs  of  the  new 
Scientific  Committee  (€  90  000  per  year)  set  up  as  an  advisory  body  for  the  Executive 
Director and the Management Board. According to the same study annual efficiency savings 
could reach €

 23 million for policing in the EU25 compared to maintaining the status quo. 

The  Commission’s  proposal  for  the  Internal  Security  Fund26  (ISF)  2014–2020  includes 
implementing training schemes on EU training policies as an objective. Member States should 
report  to  the  Commission  about  the  number  of  law  enforcement  officials  trained  on  cross-
border-related topics with the help of the Fund. Opportunities to support the training of law 
enforcement  personnel  through  the  European  Social  Fund27  under  certain  conditions  should 
also be used. 

25 

26 

27 

Study on the amendment of the Council Decision 2005/681/JHA setting up CEPOL activity, GHK, 10 
April  2012.  This  cost  figure  includes  a  new  Scientific  Committee  (€  90  000  per  year)  to  advise  the 
Executive  director  and  the  Management  Board  of  Europol,  see  the  proposal  for  a  Regulation  of  the 
European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement 
Cooperation and Training (Europol). 
Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament of the Council establishing, as part of the Internal 
Security  Fund,  the  instrument  for  financial  support  for  police  cooperation,  preventing  and  combating 
crime, and crisis management. 
www.ec.europa.eu/esf 

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5. 

IMPLEMENTING THE TRAINING SCHEME: ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

The  Training  Scheme  will  be  jointly  implemented  by  the  Commission,  Europol,  the  JHA 
agencies and Member States. 

5.1. 

The European Academy at Europol 

The  Europol  Academy  will  be  the  driving  force  and  coordinator  for  implementing  the 
Training  Scheme,  in  close  cooperation  with  other  EU  agencies  and  the  network  of  national 
training academies. Six key tasks are proposed: 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

6. 

The Europol Academy should itself seek to develop into the EU centre of excellence 
for  law  enforcement  (cross-border)  learning.  It  should  aim  to  become  the  authority 
for professionals in this field and act as a broker for exchanging best  practice.  The 
Europol Academy should seek to act as coordinator on EU strategic law enforcement 
learning issues and provide support to other EU agencies where needed, including by 
coordinating strategic training needs analysis for law enforcement at EU level. 

In consultation with its stakeholders, the Europol Academy should define a package 
of basic knowledge, including learning outcomes for strand 1. CEPOL should present 
a first version of this in the first semester of 2014. 

The  Europol  Academy  should  provide  support  to  Member  States  implementing 
strand  2  by  disseminating  best  practices  on  cross-border  cooperation  and  provide 
learning tools when needed. 

The Europol Academy, together with the other centres of excellence in the network 
of national training academies, should deliver EU-level training for officials as well 
as the trainers themselves. As part of strands 3 and 4, the Europol Academy should 
state  the  level  for  each  course  with  reference  to  the  European  Qualification 
framework,  in  cooperation  with  the  network  of  national  training  academies.  The 
Europol Academy should ensure that courses are well planned and that trainers are 
supported, evaluated and remunerated appropriately. 

The Europol Academy should devise procedures and guidance for defining training 
priorities,  roles  and  responsibilities  to  coordinate  and  support  the  delivery  of  all 
strands of the Training Scheme. 

Together  with  its  stakeholders,  the  Europol  Academy  should  follow  up  the  action 
plan to implement the framework of quality assurance proposed by CEPOL in 2014, 
as described in section 4.2. 

5.2. 

National academies as centres of excellence 

Specialised training under the Scheme should be provided by the most qualified body within 
the network of national training academies or, where appropriate, by the Europol Academy. 
National  law  enforcement  academies  specialised  in  specific  priority  policing  themes  under 
strands  3  or  4,  such  as  money  laundering,  pre-deployment  training  for  civilian  missions  or 
specific  border  guarding  issues,  could  be  granted  the  status  of  ‘centre  of  excellence’  for  an 
agreed period of time and provide training for the whole of the EU on behalf of the Europol 
Academy.  Centres  of  excellence  should  operate  in  line  with  the  common  quality  assurance 
developed  under  the  Training  Scheme  and  described  in  4.2.  National  academies  should  be 
able to second experts or trainers to the Europol Academy. 

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5.3.  Member States 

Member  States  will  be  responsible  for  implementation  of  strands  1  and  2  in  curricula  for 
initial  and  promotional  training  and  are  encouraged  to  use  EU  funding  for  this  purpose28. 
With  regard  to  strand  2,  Member  States  are  encouraged  to  start  up  training-related  bilateral 
projects  for  improving  cross-border  cooperation  across  a  wide  range  of  issues,  such  as 
surveillance, hot pursuit and sharing of information through Police and Customs Cooperation 
Centres. Member States will also be responsible for selecting officials qualified to participate 
in civilian missions, and for nominating officials qualified to be trainers teaching courses on 
strands 3 and 4 at EU level. 

5.4. 

European Commission 

The  Commission  will  regularly  evaluate  progress  in  implementing  the  Training  Scheme, 
including  the  actions defined in this Communication.  It will in particular evaluate measures 
developed  to  provide  quality  assurance  and  the  effectiveness  of  the  Europol  Academy’s 
coordination. It will report every three years to the Council and the European Parliament, with 
a first report in 2016. 

5.5. 

EU agencies 

Frontex, the EMCDDA, the FRA and the EASO also have an important role in contributing 
their  unique  expertise  to  high-quality  training  and  learning  outcomes  for  law  enforcement 
officials.  All  agencies  should  liaise  regularly  and  work  to  increase  efficiency  and  identify 
synergies  in  cross-cutting  areas.  For  example,  police  officers,  border  guards  and  customs 
officers should work together to combat trafficking in human beings. The Europol Academy 
will have an overall coordinating role as described in section 5.1. 

5.6. 

European External Action Service 

The  EEAS,  the  European  Commission  and  EU  agencies  work  hand-in-hand  to  enhance 
cooperation,  with  a  special  focus  on  capabilities  and  training29.  When  planned  EU  civilian 
missions include the participation of law enforcement officials, the Europol Academy should 
contribute with regard to training aspects at an early stage and should be poised to facilitate 
additional  specific  training  to  ensure  participants  in  these  missions  have  a  common  level  of 
expertise. The EEAS should be actively involved in this process and existing initiatives such 
as from the Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management (CivCom) should be taken 
into account. 

6. 

CONCLUSION 

Full  and  constructive  participation  of  Member  States,  the  JHA  agencies  and  other 
stakeholders within the EU would enhance the effectiveness of the EU’s response to common 
security challenges, making the most of limited budgetary resources. It would raise awareness 
of EU and cross-border policing issues, ensure recognition of specialised training in priority 
areas,  raise  the  overall  standard  of  policing  across  the  EU,  enhance  trust  between  law 
enforcement  agencies  and  stimulate  the  emergence  of  a  common  law  enforcement  culture. 
This  would  strengthen  EU  law  enforcement’s  operational  capacity  to  combat  organised  and 
serious cross-border crime and terrorism. 

28 
29 

See above, footnote 26 on the proposal for the Internal Security Fund. 
On 30 November 2011, COSI issued an opinion on Strengthening Ties between CSDP and FSJ actors, 
Doc. 17884/11 JAI 906 COSI 112. 

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The Commission will follow up this Communication in close cooperation with, notably, the 
European Parliament, Member States and the JHA agencies. 

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