CEPOL workshop prepares EMPACT National Coordinators for new cycle 2026+

On 18-19 November, the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Training (CEPOL) organised for the first time a dedicated workshop tailored for National EMPACT Coordinators (NECs), with the aim of supporting NECs from EU Members States (MS) and Schengen Associated Countries (SAC) in their role within the new European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT) cycle 2026-2029.

The activity brought together National EMPACT Coordinators of the Member States and the Schengen Associated Countries offering them a unique opportunity to share experiences and good practices, while strengthening cross-border law enforcement cooperation.

With a strong focus on providing relevant and up-to-date information to NECs regarding their role and responsibilities, the workshop covered a broad variety of pertinent topics, including: Political and strategic framework; the role of the EU Institutions, Bodies and Agencies; EMPACT Funding opportunities offered by both Europol and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME); The role of NECs in MS engagement at EU level; National EMPACT Support Teams; the role of NECs in supporting the Operational Action Plans (OAPs), The support provided to the NECs by the EMPACT online Tool; Promotion and visibility of EMPACT.

A high priority for CEPOL, this workshop was developed in the framework of professionalisation of EMPACT actors, in line with the outcomes of the Independent Evaluation of the current EMPACT cycle and the respective recommendations of the EMPACT Roadmap. It was implemented as part of CEPOL’s training portfolio for EMPACT, in consultation with NECs and with the excellent support of the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU, DG HOME, the General Secretariat of the Council and the EMPACT Support Team at Europol.

In July 2025, CEPOL also organised a dedicated workshop bringing together EMPACT Drivers and Coordinators of Common Horizontal Strategic Goals (CHSG) representing EU Agencies, institutions and EU networks. Now in its fourth edition, this was the first workshop specifically designed to prepare participants for the upcoming operational cycle. It aimed to support the Drivers of the EMPACT Priorities and the Coordinators of the CHSG in their roles within the 2026–2029 EMPACT cycle. The workshop brought together Coordinators and Drivers from both the current and the upcoming cycle, fostering continuity and forward planning.

About EMPACT 2026-2029

The conclusions by the Council on the enhancement of EMPACT adopted last June provide guidance on how to improve this instrument, highlighting key areas to focus on during the next cycle:

• the most threatening criminal networks and individuals,
• the fastest growing crimes in the online sphere (cyberattacks, online child sexual exploitation and online fraud schemes),
• drug trafficking,
• migrant smuggling and trafficking of human beings,
• firearms and explosives crime,
• environmental crimes,
• economic and financial crimes (VAT fraud, excise and customs fraud, and intellectual property crime, counterfeiting of goods and currencies).