EU- Strategic Training Needs Assessment

Progress Update

The pilot EU-STNA has been launched by the presentation of the CEPOL Acting Executive Director to the Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on Internal Security (COSI) on 25 September 2017.

After a thorough analysis of more than 130 policy documents, the first step of the EU-STNA (desk research – mapping and analysing policy documents) has been completed by CEPOL in December 2017.

During January-May 2018, CEPOL was running EU-STNA consultations with the Member States’ and EU law enforcement experts and professionals in order to identify what are the main challenges which law enforcement officials are facing countering cross-border criminality and whether these can be supported by training. Through the discussions based on the professional experience, law enforcement officials were identifying which areas should be addressed by the EU level training.

In total, 21 thematic groups have been consulted and discussion outcomes are being consolidated.

Further, the identified 184 EU level training needs in 21 thematic categories have been shared with the Member States and currently are being prioritised.

What is EU-STNA?

Download the EU-STNA Fact-sheet here.

EU level training* that is qualitative and evidence based facilitates the work of law enforcement officials in addressing crime threats that affect the European Union.

The EU-STNA aims at identifying those EU level training priorities in the area of internal security and its external aspects to help build the capacity of law enforcement officials, while seeking to avoid duplication of efforts and achieve better coordination.

It is a collective, EU-wide effort that requires participation from all stakeholders, so that training providers can deliver better, more targeted training to the European law enforcement community on the top priority topics!

*EU level training activities refer to strands 3 and 4 of the Law Enforcement Training Scheme as identified in Commission Communication COM (2013)172, and namely 1) thematic policing specialism and 2) European Union civilian missions and capacity building in third countries. STNA will only look at EU level priorities, as national training and bilateral/regional training cooperation remains outside of the scope of the exercise.

The methodology behind the EU-STNA process was developed with the support of the European Commission and in close cooperation with the Member States and the key stakeholders like Europol and Frontex.

Step 1 - October-November 2017

Mapping of EU security threats, sub-threats, and horizontal aspects:

• Step content: Desk research, analysis of documents

Key Actor: CEPOL

Step 2-3 – Dec 2017- May 2018

Identification of capability challenges & EU training needs; assessment of training needs:

• Step content: Expert group consultations;

Key Actors: MS and EU experts

Step 4 – June-July 2018

Prioritisation of EU training needs & training provider identification:

• Step content:

• Prioritisation by the MS;
• Consultation/training provider identification with EU JHA Agencies;

Key Actors: MS strategic level and JHA agencies

Step 5 – July –October 2018

EU-STNA report

• Step content: Report drafting, presentation to the Council for endorsement and European Parliament for information;

Key Actors: Council and European Parliament

Step 6 - 2020

Evaluation

• Step content: EU-STNA impact assessment and process (methodology) evaluation;

Key Actor: evaluator

Download the EU-STNA Timeline here.

How is EU-STNA carried out?

EU-STNA consists in step-by-step analysis of strategic level EU documents detailing crime threats that are then discussed in expert and focus groups by Member State and EU specialists with a view to extract capability gaps and training needs that should be addressed by training implemented at EU level.

These training needs are then prioritised by the Member States at strategic level.

At the end of the analysis phase, an EU-STNA report is drawn up by CEPOL and presented to the Council of the EU for endorsement, and to the European Parliament for information.

The EU-STNA shall result in a split of tasks among EU level training providers, and shall inform and facilitate planning.

Each EU-STNA cycle shall cover a four year period.

Who does what?

Member States are crucial in the EU-STNA process, as their experts will assess capability challenges in law enforcement and corresponding training needs, and their policy makers will prioritise those EU training needs.

The Council of the European Union together with the European Parliament will be the main addressee of the EU-STNA report, which will provide background for law enforcement training policy development for the upcoming years.

The European Commission (DG HOME) has a key validation, liaison and consultative functions during the EU-STNA process.

Justice and Home Affairs agencies will be invited to share their flagship and analytical products for desk research, participate in the expert groups, provide their opinion on the training needs prioritisation and identify potential training organisers.

CEPOL will be the implementing agency of the EU-STNA: its role is to manage an inclusive and consultative EU-STNA process and deliver the EU-STNA report for approval by the Council of the European Union.

Who we are?

CEPOL, the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training is dedicated to develop, implement and coordinate training for law enforcement officials. CEPOL will run, organise and finance (in-line with the applicable CEPOL financial regulation) all steps of the EU-STNA.

For more information contact EU-STNA team at