A new process of entering into Framework Partnerships with the Member States organising CEPOL activities has begun. Framework Partnerships will be a prerequisite to hosting CEPOL activities as of the 1 January 2011.
The new Framework Partnerships ensure CEPOL complies with the European Commission’s directives on procurement and the EU Financial Regulation,
The agreements will be made between CEPOL and any police training institutes in the European Union interested in regularly implementing CEPOL courses, seminars and conferences as outlined in CEPOL’s Annual Work Programme.
CEPOL’s Framework Partnerships are anticipated to be predominantly with the national police training institutes whose tasks include the training of senior police officers. However, where a national situation requires, Framework Partnerships can also be with another public body, for example a Ministry of Interior, provided there is the legal capacity to do so and can act as a signatory authority.
In order to provide for stable and long-term cooperation each Framework Partnership will be set up for four-year period.
This approach, in CEPOL’s case, is the best solution due to CEPOL’s need to cooperate on a recurring basis with a limited group of training institutions that have a monopoly as far as training of senior police officers.
On an annual basis, all framework partners will be invited to participate in a ‘Call of Interest for Grant Agreements’ where participating institutions express their intention to implement one or more specific CEPOL activities, within the agreed terms and conditions.
On the 19 May 2010 a call for Framework Partnerships and a response form were distributed to all CEPOL National Contact Points within the Member States.
Both documents can be downloaded from the restricted part of CEPOL’s website in the following section: Templates / Other Templates.