2005 EuroCOP Spring Committee Luxembourg

2005 Spring EuroCOP Committee in Luxembourg

The EuroCOP Committee met at their bi-annual meeting on 17-18 March, ahead of the EU Heads of State and Government. This Spring EuroCOP Committee took place in Luxembourg to coincide with their six-month rotating presidency of the EU which ends 30 June.

Important issues on the agenda included an outlook for EuroCOP in 2005, the EU’s Hague Programme for Justice, Liberty and Security, important EU legislation, EuroCOP Working Groups and EuroCOP’s enlargement to include two new members.

In his outlook for 2005 EuroCOP President Heinz KIEFER highlighted that once EuroCOP’s membership as the Industry Federation for Police in the European Trade Union Confederation, ETUC, is finalised there will be significant work to be covered in this new sphere. Over the last few years EuroCOP has endeavoured to increase its profile vis-à-vis the European Institutions and will continue these efforts during the course of 2005 and beyond. One year on from the Madrid attacks Mr KIEFER stressed that EuroCOP would continue to push for EU Member States to make progress in protecting their citizens against international terrorism and organised crime.

Luc Frieden, Luxembourg’s Minister of Justice, highlights police cooperation as key factor for common area of freedom, security and justice.

As guest speaker, Luc FRIEDEN, Luxembourg’s Minister of Justice and current chairman of the EU Justice and Home Affairs Council briefed the EuroCOP Committee on his priorities to accomplish the common area of freedom, security and justice as outlined in the Hague Programme. Adopted in November 2004, the Hague Programme contains the EU’s Justice and Home Affairs legislative agenda for 2005-2009. Mr. FRIEDEN was keen to emphasise, that the goals of increasing freedom, security and justice need to be evenly pursued and that all three of these goals have to be accomplished. Without security, freedom has no meaning.

For Mr. FRIEDEN it was quite clear that security has to be provided by public institutions, the police in particular.

Delegates also discussed the future of EU police cooperation. The Luxembourg presidency has stressed the importance of police cooperation with particular emphasis upon better and structured exchange of information. Without regular exchange of information however, improvements of the means of exchange cannot be made. Mr FRIEDEN agreed with EuroCOP Member Organisations that the key to achieving these goals was to be found as much on the European as on the national level.

Delegates discuss latest developments in EU labour law.

EuroCOP Committee members focused on the proposed changes under EU labour law concerning the current EU Working Time Directive.

At this stage whether or not police officers are covered by the directive is not settled on the European level. Proposed changes which were debated included the redefining of ‘on call’ time with passive periods of ‘on call’ time not being considered working time.

In addition, delegates discussed the possibility of the reference period for the calculation of the average weekly working time being extended to from 4 to 12 months by national law.

EuroCOP Committee takes position on controversial services directive.

The EuroCOP Committee took a firm stance and called for the private security sector to be excluded from the scope of the controversial EU Services Directive.

Including the private security sector within this directive’s scope would, without doubt, lead to dumping competition, very much to the detriment of EU citizens’ safety and security.

Pooling national experiences - EuroCOP Working Group to investigate health and security implications of digital radio.

It is clear that digital radio most certainly provides increased security for colleagues through its technical innovation, however the issue of possible health risks involved is nevertheless an important one and needs to be further investigated.

A cross-section of Member Organisation representatives embodied in the Safer Policing Working Group will be addressing these issues, pooling different experiences on the national level and thereby adding value to Member Organisations' efforts.

Together it will no longer be “all Greek to us"!
PFP Greece obtains full membership after a year as observer in EuroCOP.

After one year as observers in EuroCOP the Panhellenic Federation of Police of Greece, have become full members of EuroCOP.

The EuroCOP Committee voted to grant the Greek colleagues full membership, acknowledging their active contribution to EuroCOP’s work during their year as observers.

EuroCOP continues to grow: SNPPC Romania become associate members only weeks after creation of the union.

The recently founded Romanian Police Union, SNPPC, have become Associate Members of EuroCOP. In order to give Romanian colleagues the support they will need in their development process, the EuroCOP Committee welcomed the Romanian colleagues’ association to EuroCOP. The decision was met by a loud round of supportive applause and cheers which clearly demonstrated a true spirit of unity within EuroCOP.

The Romanians still faces a number of obstacles in their day-to-day work. Challenges that lie ahead include striving to reduce political influence in the policing domain and encourage decentralisation. Aiming to secure better working conditions and encourage progressive ideas are among SNPPC’s main priorities. However, in the face of these challenges ahead, SNPPC President Constantin VIERIU described the significance of this association to EuroCOP as “the first page in the history book of the SNPPC.”

The next EuroCOP Committee

The next statutory EuroCOP meeting to take place will be this year’s Autumn EuroCOP Committee, to be held in London in early November.

This coincides with the United Kingdom taking over the six month presidency of the EU from Luxembourg on 1 July 2005.