Events

The Expert-Level Opening Conference for “Developing E-Learning Modules on Cross-Border Cooperation Tools for Police Education” in the framework of the EU ISEC-supported project took place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, from 28-31 January 2013, with the aim to agree on a core curriculum for the e-learning modules and to set the timeline for project activities. The Conference was attended by members of the Bulgarian, Romanian and Slovenian project teams, as well as representatives from CEPOL and EUROPOL. The project team experts were in detail familiarised with the project working methodology and structure, as well as the CEPOL methodology in developing knowledge landscape.

At the DCAF expert meeting on the facilitation of common and coordinated measures in the Western Balkan region, held 4–7 February 2013 in Zagreb, Croatia, and hosted by the RACVIAC Centre for Security Cooperation in Southeast Europe (RACVIAC-SEE) at their premises in Rakitje near Zagreb, the representatives of the Western Balkan countries reconfirmed regional common and coordinated measures facilitated by the DCAF Border Security Programme as a priority for the region. Feedback was provided by police experts from the beneficiary countries regarding the operational results and achievements of the endeavors facilitated in 2012. Based on a retrospective assessment and the current state-of-play, two common operations and two coordinated operations at border crossing points, with the objective to tackle security threats to regional border integrity, were agreed to be held during 2013.

A Meeting of the DCAF Working Group on Legal Reform under the auspices of the DCAF Border Security Programme was held at Zlatibor, Serbia from 21st to 22nd February 2013. National legal experts and experts responsible for readmission and return, representing the beneficiary countries Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia and Serbia, proceeded with the discussion on a future regional memorandum of understanding between the participating countries that will enable regional measures of common return. An overview was created regarding specific issue as provided by the respective national legislations in the area of readmission and return. Participants agreed that training related to the area of readmission and return represented an important precondition for an effective common regional approach. The countries will explore the possibilities to apply relevant existing training programmes. Participants expressed the need to familiarize regional practitioners with the ways of operation and conduct on part of authorities responsible for readmission and return in other countries of the region via study visits.  In addition, they have pointed to the necessity of introduction to training programmes related to all activities necessary to prepare and conduct joint return flights.

The DCAF Schengen Task Force continues to provide specific assistance to border police services and MoI experts during the process of the preparations and undertaking the responsibilities arising from full EU membership and, consequently, Schengen integration. It offers assistance in the preparation of action plans and strategies required to fulfill the EU/Schengen obligations, as well as in the creation of needed administrative capacities for their implementation.  In order to guarantee national coordination at the expert level, each meeting of the “core group” members of the Task Force is accompanied by a separate meeting which also involves experts from the police, border police and ministries of the interior/security, but also experts from other parts of state administration dealing with EU affairs.

At the meeting in Sarajevo, held 5–7 March 2013, the on-line self-evaluation system in the area of Schengen integration developed under the auspices of the Programme was successfully launched. DCAF and EU experts from Slovenia, Croatia and Slovakia contributed the latest developments in the EU domain, such as newly proposed legislation and the entry into operation of the Schengen Information System Second Generation (SIS II), the proposed Smart Borders Legislative Package and state-of-play in the legislative procedure on the legal basis for the European Surveillance System (EUROSUR). Common recommendations were agreed to serve as guidelines to help maximize the effectiveness as well as cost-efficiency of future participation in related twinning projects undertaken to improve either strategic planning or more narrow objectives, such as technical assistance or trainings, utilising the experience of Slovenia, Croatia and some other EU Member States.

From 9–10 April 2013, Albanian, Bosnian-Herzegovinian, Croatian, Macedonian, Serbian and Slovenian and DCAF police experts met in Zagreb, Croatia, hosted by the RACVIAC-SEE at the premises in Rakitje near Zagreb. The meeting saw a further discussion on the establishment of an Early Warning System and Risk Analysis in the Western Balkan region, pertaining to all forms of cross-border criminality falling under the responsibility of border police forces, incl. illegal migration. The newly developed web application “BORDER SENTRY” was introduced, enabling hand-on testing for the participating regional experts who proposed additional adjustments to optimise the use of this tool for their border management authorities.

Mr Darjo Cizel, Senior police inspector in the Border Police Division, expert on risk analysis, and Mr Miran Kondrič, Senior police inspector in the Border Police Division, expert on fake and forged documents (both General Police Directorate, Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Slovenia), contributed with several examples on illegal migration, trafficking human beings, smuggling drugs, cigarettes, stolen vehicles and other detected criminal activities at border crossing points in Slovenia, and demonstrated how they should be entered and used in the data management system.

The common operation at the green border in Macedonia was successfully conducted between 14 and 20 April, focused specifically on the detection of illegal migrants crossing the border into Macedonia. Other cross-border criminal activities, e.g. instances of trafficking in human beings, smuggling of goods and motor vehicle related crime, were also detected during the 6-day operation. The Police Cooperation Convention for Southeast Europe (PCC SEE) and national legal frameworks were utilized as the legal basis for the region-wide cross-border operational measure. Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia each assigned two police officers, experts in border surveillance and interviews to the operation.

The location of the operation was the green border between the Republic of Macedonia, the area of responsibility of the Bogorodica Border Surveillance Police Station in the total length of 56 kilometers. The selected part of the green border was surveyed and controlled with the help of optoelectronic surveillance devices (day/night vision binoculars, thermal visions and vehicles for video surveillance). Most officers performed their duties in their own uniforms, using also their personal equipment, such as thermal visions and other devices for border surveillance, and also carried their own personal weapons.

From 9–10 May 2013, a DCAF Meeting of Regional Heads of Cabinets at Ministries of Interior/Security and Border Police Chiefs took place in Medjugorje, BiH, chaired by Mr Vinko Dumančić, Head of the Border Police Directorate of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mr Tomislav Limov, Advisor to the Deputy Minister-Chief of Staff, Ministry of Security BiH, gave an introductory speech and greeted the participants on behalf of the Ministry. The high-level participants represented the beneficiary countries Albania, BiH, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, donor countries Croatia and Slovenia, international organisations/initiatives MARRI, U.S. ICITAP, Office of the High Representative in Sarajevo, IOM Sarajevo, OSCE and DCAF. The participants reviewed the progress achieved in 2012 through 2013, discussed the work plan for the rest of 2013, and prepared the agenda for the upcoming ministerial conference to take place in Sarajevo, BiH.

In the framework of the EU ISEC-supported project Developing E-Learning Modules on Cross-Border Police Cooperation Tools for Police Education,the 1st Expert Workshop was held from 19-24 May 2013 in Sofia, Bulgaria, and was led by DCAF Ljubljana. Members of the Bulgarian project team, together with CEPOL, worked on the content of the e-module for Hot Pursuit, which will be offered in its final version as an online learning tool within Cepol’s e-learning environment. The e-module is one of three modules that will be produced in the project, and is intended to aid the practitioners, officers, students and other experts from EU Member States, offer important and updated knowledge, and prepare the police practitioners for their everyday tasks.

A Coordinated Operation for the second-line checks of freight vehicles will be held from 27 May 2013 until 1 June 2013 through simultaneous and coordinated action on part of the border police forces at 5 border crossing points in 5 countries – Albania, BiH, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. The Coordinated Operation is focused on second-line checks of freight vehicles and all freight vehicles related events (transportation of hidden persons (illegal migrants or victims of human smuggling or trafficking in human beings, forgery of motor vehicle documents and other travel documents, smuggling of goods (illegal transportation of goods in freight vehicles). The operation is the third operational measures facilitated by the DCAF Border Security Programme in 2013, conducted in cooperation with regional border management authorities.

From 1-5 July 2013, the 2nd Expert Workshop of the DCAF-led Project on E-Learning in Cross-Border Police Cooperation Tools took place in Bucharest, Romania, facilitated by the DCAF project management team. The Romanian and Slovenian Project Teams were working on the development of E-Learning modules on the topics of "Mixed Patrols" and "Data and Information Exchange". The modules are being created within the Cepol module development space, based on Cepol's methodology. Together with Europol, the national experts and the project management are reviewing important developments in the European Information Exchange Model (EIXM) and issues that the practitioners face in their everyday workflow. The future modules should include those issues to aid the practitioners, officers, students and other experts from EU Member States and prepare them for their everyday tasks.

From 12-18 August 2013 the DCAF Border Security Programme organised its 2nd DCAF Train-the-Trainers Summer Course in Andermatt, Switzerland. The course brought together police educators, police trainers and education experts from 19 European countries and DCAF partner organisations (Frontex, Cepol, AEPC, OSCE). Participants included both new and more experienced trainers who had come to Andermatt to exchange best practices and improve their teaching skills. Surrounded by the pristine Swiss Alps, the participants discussed best ways of formulating learning outcomes and connecting them to learning and assessment strategies and how better communication skills and different learning styles can make learning more effective.

The training was co-hosted by the Swiss Mounaineering Military Service in Andermatt who ensured much of the practical and extra-curricular activities, such as mountain climbing and other team-building activities. At the opening ceremony in downtown Andermatt in the evening of the 13th August, the participants were addressed by the president of the Provincial Council of the Canton of Uri Mr Toni Moser, high representatives of the Andermatt Municipality, and the Mountaineering Military Service Centre (MMSC) in Andermatt. Ms Jelka Klemenc of DCAF Ljubljana thanked the honorary guests for their presence and support in the name of the organiser. She especially thanked the MMSC for the generous hospitality that is shown to the DCAF course every year, making our participants feel welcome and all their needs and requests accommodated with a kind and professional attitude on part of the soldiers who are on duty at the military compound in the middle of the Swiss Alpine paradise.

From 27-30 August, the DCAF meeting on readmission and return took place in Sarajevo, BiH, attended by border police experts, legal experts and representatives of services responsible for readmission and return from Albania, Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia, and Frontex. The participants proceeded to finalize the region-wide agreement providing for mutual cooperation in the area of common return flights to third countries of origin. Common Return has been identified as an important element in the overall regional effort under the DCAF Border Security Programme to efficiently mitigate the negative consequences of irregular migration flows in the Western Balkan region.

The participants also reviewed the existing draft Memorandum of Understanding to enable the mutual use of border police services of the Border Sentry web application developed by DCAF, which will serve as a common platform for as a common platform for data management. Based on the entries of generic data on border-related events, the use of the application will enable to border police authorities and other police services a common risk assessment regarding the threat of cross-border crime, including illegal migration.

A regular meeting of the Border Police Chiefs from the Western Balkan countries was held at Brdo pri Kranju in Slovenia from 4–6 September 2013, organized by DCAF Ljubljana under the auspices of the Border Security Programme. Several activities were held together with the PCC SEE Meeting of National Police Directors that was held in Slovenia in the same week. The Border Police Chiefs from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia, a representative of Austria, and DCAF Ljubljana, discussed the progress and further needs and opportunities in the area of Schengen Integration, Education and Training for border police and Common and Coordinated Measures. The Border Police Chiefs, in their strategic and monitoring role, agreed on the contribution of the DCAF Programme to the common regional approach in mitigating negative consequences of irregular migration flows in the Western Balkan region, as well as the planned future initiative to be presented to the European Commission. They fully supported the conclusion of the two future multilateral agreements to be negotiated and signed as soon as possible – i.e. the agreement enabling the use and functioning of the Border Sentry application for data management in developing risk analysis and an early warning system, and the agreement on conducting joint return flights to third countries of origin.

The participants also had the opportunity to visit the Slovenian Police Command and Control Centre coordinating police security measures at the Eurobasket Championship 2013 currently taking place in Slovenia. During this ongoing major sports event, we are witnessing the common activity of the Western Balkan police services under the auspices of the DCAF Programme, namely a Common Operation at two Slovenian border crossing points (Obrežje and Gruškovje). The legal basis for the organization of the common operation is the Police Cooperation Convention in Southeast Europe as well as the national legal frameworks. The results of the Operations will be provided continuously by the Slovenian Police, and will also be covered by the local and international media.

The multi-layered benefits of the series of region-wide common and coordinated measures conducted through 2012/2013 under the DCAF Programme were especially emphasised by the Border Police Chiefs. Namely, the great breakthroughs in cross-border cooperation on a regional level to combat all forms of cross-border crime also contributed a significant training component to their mutual cooperation, as well as mutual trust, new mutual working experiences and – via high media coverage – a very positive impact on the general population. They hoped that the Operations would continue in 2014 on an even more frequent basis.

A Meeting of the DCAF Schengen Integration Task Force took place between 9^th – 11^th September 2013 in Zagreb, Croatia. Utilizing a regional approach, this expert-level framework serves as a discussion forum providing assistance, good practices and updates on relevant EU developments to MoI and police experts from beneficiary countries. It also assists with the preparation of national Action Plans to fulfil the Schengen-related conditions is required under their respective accession negotiation procedures. The participants from the beneficiary countries Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia discussed the further use of the Schengen Self-Evaluation (SSE) module and the results generated so far. They discussed the technical details and exchanged opinions on the additional proposals to further improve their user experience before proceeding with Phase 2 of the self-evaluation. The participants acknowledged the benefits of the exchange of good practices and experience of case studies from Slovenia, Slovakia and Croatia, novelties about relevant information systems relevant for border police work, e.g. SIS, VIS, EURODAC, EUROSUR, and novelties in relevant EU legislation. Participants also suggested concrete topics for the upcoming meeting of the Task Force, which is foreseen for March 2014.

In the framework of the EU ISEC-supported project Developing E-Learning Modules on Cross-Border Police Cooperation Tools for Police Education,the 3rd Expert Workshop was held from 9-11 October 2013 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, and was led by DCAF Ljubljana. Members of the Slovenian project team worked on the content of the e-module for Mixed Patrols, which will be offered in its final version as an online learning tool within Cepol’s e-learning environment. The e-module is one of three modules that will be produced in the project, and is intended to aid the practitioners, officers, students and other experts from EU Member States, offer important and updated knowledge, and prepare the police practitioners for their everyday tasks.

Coordinated operation at green borders in the Western Balkan region under the auspices of the DCAF Border Security Programme took place between 14–21 October 2013 simultaneously in all countries in the WB Region. It was carried out in the interval between 07.00 a.m. Monday, 14 October, until 07.00 a.m. Monday, 21 October 2013, represented a coordinated and synchronized regional action aimed specifically for border surveillance at green borders within the WB Region. It was organized simultaneously in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia at selected parts of their green borders. The Operation’s main focus was the detection of illegal migrants but it also included the detection of other related cross-border criminal activities, e.g. detection of human trafficking, smuggling of goods and motor vehicle related events. The coordinated operation reaffirmed the readiness of the Western Balkan countries to work together in prevention, control and suppression of illegal migration, as is also attested by the significant operational results in detecting illegal border crossings, smuggling of illicit drugs, other forbidden items, including a person suspected to be facilitating illegal migration. This Operation was the 6th common operational measures undertaken by the Western Balkan countries under the auspices of the Programme and facilitated by DCAF.

A Workshop on Regional Risk Analysis took place between 14–16 October 2013 in Ohrid, Macedonia, under the Auspices of the DCAF Border Security Programme, bringing together officials from the border police, experts/practitioners in the field of risk analysis, responsible for the development and execution of the risk analysis functions in the HQ of the border police services or on the regional level. Croatia and Programme beneficiaries Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia were represented. This component of the Programme aims to implement intelligence-led policing in the Southeast Europe to improve the capacities in the fight against organized and cross-border crime as falling under the responsibility of the border police. Following the presentations of each delegation on the national state-of-play and an exchange of opinions, participants continued to discuss the use of the common web application for data management developed by the Programme and addressed the elements of further practical solutions in the area of risk analysis, which will have added value for the practitioners and an increased efficiency of police cooperation. Regional experience with EU-facilitated risk analysis instruments and the implementation of EU best practices and Schengen demands in the field of risk analysis were considered in detail.

In the framework of the DCAF Border Security Programme, the Meeting of the Network of Police Education and Training Institutions was held in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Participants at the meeting discussed activities since the last meeting in November 2012 in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the “Joint Declaration between the Institutions for Police Education and Training in the Western Balkans” was signed. The participants reported on the recent activities within their own education institutions and their role in regional cooperation. They further addressed the Sectoral Qualification Framework for border guards, adopted by Frontex in May 2013, and its impact on national education and training systems. The participants discussed the work plan for 2014 within the Border Security Programme, and expressed further support to the activities of the Network.

Between 27–29 November 2013, the annual Meeting of the DCAF Schengen Integration Task Force at Strategic Level took place in the village of Schengen, Luxembourg, under the auspices of the DCAF Border Security Programme. The event was attended by Albania, BiH, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Frontex, Council General Secretariat, UNDP and DCAF. The event was chaired by Mr Ivan Bizjak, DCAF Leading Expert. State Secretaries and Heads of EU Integration Services as well as Border Police Chiefs addressed two important topics - acquiring EU funding in the pre-accession phase, and asylum challenges in the Western Balkan region. Participants exchanged experiences and good practices in the acquiring and benefitting from the existing IPA financing instrument of the European Commission. They agreed on important conclusions regarding further mutual cooperation, support and common strategic guidance in obtaining funds from the future IPA II. Participants were familiarized with the most recent experiences of the Croatian MoI and lessons learned. The panel on asylum provided the exchange of experience and good practices of the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior. Further needs and areas of activity were agreed under the auspices of the Programme, ensuring complementarity with other relevant actors. A lecture on the history of the Schengen Area was given by Mr Charles Elsen, one of the negotiators of the Schengen Agreement signed in the Village of Schengen in 1985 and the former Director-General for Justice and Home Affairs at the Council of the EU.

From 2 - 5 December 2013, the 1st Interim Meeting took place under the auspices of the project led by DCAF Ljubljana and co-financed by the European Commission. The Meeting was chaired by DCAF Ljubljana, with the support of CEPOL e-learning module development expert Mr Julian Ter Huurne. Bulgarian, Romanian and Slovenian project teams, each tasked with producing the landscape of one e-learning module from among the three topics (Hot Pursuit, Mixed Patrols and Cross-Border Information Exchange), were brought together to conduct a common review, mutually exchange opinions and suggestions on each of the three module landscapes as prepared so far. This is to be followed by a cross-checking revision phase aimed to further improve and ensure comparable final products. The revision is to be conducted in mutual cooperation between all three project teams in the next month. Exact deadlines were agreed among all project participants for finalising and submitting the individual materials. The final modules will be utilised, via CEPOL's e-net platform, as modern tools for police education and training at EU level. They will also serve as a basis for developing e-learning modules on cross-border police cooperation in the framework of the Police Cooperation Convention for Southeast Europe (PCC SEE).

The Meeting on “Prevention and Suppression of Transnational Organized Crime in Southeast Europe – Convergence of Theory and Practice” which was held from 9–11 December 2013, Ohrid, Macedonia, was organized by the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Macedonia, the DCAF Border Security Programme and the PCC SEE Secretariat.

The meeting brought together (1) national heads and senior experts of criminal investigation units and (2) eminent representatives of the academia from each country, whose research focus is on the prevention, detection and investigation of transnational organized crime. They examined the possibility of creating useful links between the theoretical and practical domains at national and regional level, which would allow a better use of the research approach to the benefit of more efficient performance of the police in tackling the threats of transnational organised crime in Southeast Europe.

During the meeting participants identified the need for the development of a common regional project, which would facilitate the creation of useful links between research and practical domains at regional level, and enable the implementation of the theoretically and methodologically set approaches into the prevention and suppression of transnational organized crime.