From 26 to 29 March, EULEX’s International Police Cooperation Unit (IPCU) facilitated a training attended by colleagues from the Kosovo Police, at the Criminal Intelligence Service in Austria, as part of a programme about International Police Cooperation.

The training forms part of the framework of a programme called “Awareness about International Police Cooperation Principles – Study visit to the Interpol-Europol-Sirene-Single Point of Contact in Vienna, Austria”.

The Team Leader of EULEX’s International Police Cooperation Unit, Vincenzo Cardinale, led the visit, bringing his colleagues from the Kosovo Police, including Besnik Sallahu, Chief of Interpol Sector, Fatmir Ahmeti, from the Directorate for International Cooperation in the Rule of Law (ILECU) of Kosovo Police, Agron Nezaj, Head of Division for Investigation of Organized Crime and Fatmir Karaliti, Chief of Sector for Financial Investigation.

“This study visit has been very useful and fruitful for the future developments of the Kosovo Police and it provided a beneficial knowledge to the attendees and for future trainings of Kosovo Police”, said Lt. Col. Nezaj.

The aim of the project was to familiarize the participants with best European practices in the fields of handling and exchanging information, interoperability of databases and case-management practices used by European law-enforcement institutions. The central objective was to strengthen ILECU’s executive capacity and enhance its operational performance, particularly from data-protection and data-security perspectives.

Nowadays the transnational organized crime is an increasingly dynamic and complex phenomenon that requires a common response by law enforcement of the EU and Third Countries, all together. Criminal groups are borderless and more sophisticated in their modus operandi, so law enforcement agencies must be able to prevent and detect their activities. The implementation of best practices in the field of international police cooperation will result in an immense and mutual benefit to reduce the space where criminals can operate between Kosovo and EU Member States”, Mr Cardinale explains.

The Kosovo Police officers spent two days at the Austrian Single Point of Contact (SPOC) to observe - and report on at a later stage - the applied general principles for the processing of data, as well as new technical possibilities. They were also trained and advised by Interpol and Europol national experts about the most common challenges related to international police cooperation and how to deal efficiently with them.

“In the era of cloud computing and cyber-enabled crimes, law enforcement agencies must be able to dismantle innovative and flexible criminal groups in real time, so international police cooperation is vital, crucial and fundamental nowadays,” added Mr Cardinale.

At the training, Mr Cardinale also gave a presentation about the responsibilities and tasks of EULEX IPCU with the new mandate.

The Criminal Intelligence Service Austria acts as the SPOC for Interpol, Europol and the SIRENE Bureau in Vienna.