Surveillance Cooperation in Schengen

ended

The overall project goal is to increase the effectiveness of cross-border and international police cooperation in surveillance in Schengen area, which would in a consequence lead to greater security of the EU citizens. Police surveillance is a crucial part of the investigation of serious organised crime or terrorism, and evidences, gathered through surveillance, are often the only proof in the criminal proceedings. To achieve the project goal we will organize 4 workshops for 124 specialists in technical and physical surveillance from 15 European countries. The workshops on surveillance related topics will improve the abilities of the operatives to conduct surveillance. They will also allow exchange of best practice in covert surveillance on operational level. Two cross-border and international surveillance exercises will be carried out following the workshops, to allow the operatives from 8 EU countries LEAs to practice joint operations in cross-border and international surveillance. Throughout the project there are also planned to be carried out four strategic meetings, each for 16 senior management staff from 8 EU countries LEAs + 6 renown expert from different European countries and 1 senior expert from EUROPOL. The strategic meetings will provide a platform for sharing of best practice in covert surveillance on management level, evaluation of joint exercises and setting common procedures where it is applicable. One European conference on international cooperation in surveillance for 50 participants from 12 EU member states and 6 non-EU countries associated in Surveillance Cooperation Group (SCG) and Surveillance Expert Network for Southeast Europe (SENSEE) will be organised to conclude the project and to share knowledge and best practices in covert surveillance. With the cooperation of ESG 1 electronic knowledge database of the international legislation and common practice in cross-border surveillance of 23 European countries will be produced to support international police cooperat