This week, the Agency welcomed representatives of its CEPOL National Units (CNUs) to Budapest for the network’s 20th meeting, held on 7–8 October 2026 and chaired by Superintendent Brian Murphy, Garda College, Ireland.
During the first day of the meeting, in his opening presentation, Executive Director, Jan Pecháček provided a general overview of CEPOL’s work throughout 2026, indicating that it has been a ‘dynamic and productive year’, as the Agency marked its 25th anniversary
and achieved several key strategic milestones, such as the new EU Strategic Training Needs Assessment 2026-2029, while making significant progress towards the recognition of learning. He also outlined the way forward to meet CEPOL’s strategic objectives, including the need to reallocate resources to focus on key actions and priorities.
Among the topics on the agenda were the future developments of the Agency’s Digital platform, and CEPOL’s cooperation initiatives under the Horizon programme, following the successful completion of the first Pitch Match Innovation Forum (PIMIF) earlier this year. CNUs also had the opportunity to share best practices from their day-to-day activities and find common solutions to help them streamline their work.
Participants were informed about the next steps regarding the upcoming THEMIS programme and other developments relating to the CEPOL’s International Cooperation projects and received updates on the implementation of the Agency’s AI strategy and on its cyber security management. In the afternoon, two workshops provided a platform for stimulating discussions and a productive exchange of views among CNUs.
The second day of the meeting focused on the Agency’s future portfolio development, aiming to shift resources towards a set of higher-priority actions that can create broader and more sustainable impact, while supporting CEPOL’s evolving coordination role. Furthermore, the envisaged actions concerning the recognition of learning programmes for law enforcement officials (including the Sectoral Qualifications Framework in policing) were presented, highlighting the importance of a broader and structured approach to strengthen recognition of learning, including quality assurance, comparability, and progression across CEPOL’s learning offer.
About CEPOL National Units
CEPOL cooperates closely with its dedicated National Units (CNUs) in Member States. They inform and assist law enforcement officials who wish to participate in CEPOL’s training. CNUs actively support CEPOL’s activities and provide valuable operational insights. The Chair of the CNU meeting is the Head of the CEPOL National Unit in the country that holds the presidency of the Council of the EU for a 6-month period, within the scope of the three Member States that have jointly prepared the Council of the European Union’s 18-month programme. The current Trio presidency includes Ireland, Lithuania, and Greece. The next CNU meeting is expected to take place in April, during the Lithuanian Presidency of the Council of the EU.
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