On 23 November, a Specialised Team (ST) of six Police Advisors was deployed to Kosovo to strengthen the advising and monitoring capacity of the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), consistent with EULEX’s mandate to support selected rule of law institutions in Kosovo, on their path towards increased effectiveness, sustainability, multi-ethnicity and accountability, free from political interference and in line with international human rights standards and best European practices. 

Specifically, the EULEX ST will advise the Kosovo Police on how to better deliver regular police activities when preventing and combating crime and providing security, while also monitoring compliance with their human rights obligations, to serve the communities they protect and increase the population’s confidence through community-oriented policing.

The deployment of the EULEX ST will last for initially two months, with the possibility of an extension until the Mission will have established a long-term police advisory capacity in northern Kosovo.

The EULEX ST’s members are seconded by the Netherlands (three) and Sweden (three) and, building on their community policing background and expertise, will work in the northern municipalities in close coordination with their Kosovo Police counterparts and with the EULEX Senior Police Advisors, who advise the Regional Directorate of Police in Mitrovica North and the four police stations under its command.

The deployment of Specialised Teams with different expertise and capacities, is a tool provided by the Civilian Common Security Defence Policy (CSDP) Compact approved in May 2023 to quickly deploy experts to Civilian CSDP Missions to swiftly respond to operational needs and security developments on the ground.