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European Parliament
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European Police College (CEPOL)

2004/0215(CNS)

The European Parliament adopted a resolution by 479 votes in favour, 43 against with 27. The resolution was drafted by DEMEMETRIOU Panayiotis (EPP-ED, Cyprus) and made several amendments to the original proposal. The principal changes are as follows:

- the UK as the host Member State must facilitate the setting up of CEPOL;

- CEPOL courses must pay particular attention to the treatment of especially vulnerable groups, such as women, minors and minorities;

- training must prepare for prevention and management of non-military crises;

- “national units” is replaced with “liaison units”. Where there is more than one liaison unit in a Member State, that Member State shall designate one of those units as the central coordinating unit;

- the European Parliament may be represented on the Governing Board by an observer if it considers it necessary;

- the Council, acting on a representation by the Governing Board, may terminate the Director's term of office without notice for reasons of misconduct and with reasonable notice for reasons of unsatisfactory performance of his duties;

- CEPOL's staff shall consist of officials seconded from an institution within the meaning of the Staff Regulations of officials of the European Communities or from Member States and of other servants recruited by CEPOL as necessary to carry out its tasks. The staff shall be recruited on a temporary basis;

- the liaison units shall support the work of the national law enforcement training institutes in the fight against cross-border crime in the European Union;

- a new clause states that the training offered by the liaison units shall not replace the actions already undertaken by the national law enforcement training institutes;

- the budgetary authority shall be informed of the derogations referred to in Article 16;

- the independent evaluation must take place every three years rather than five;

Finally, the European Police College established by this Decision shall be the successor to the European Police College established by Decision 2000/820/JHA. Continuity in administrative and legal procedures commenced prior to the date on which this Decision takes effect shall be ensured.