EMISA network strengthens counter-terrorism cooperation through joint activities and strategic planning

Over October and November 2025, the Enhanced Mechanism for Information Sharing and Analysis (EMISA) network brought together counter-terrorism experts from EU Member States and partner countries in a series of activities and its annual co-chairs meeting.

In this context, the recent activities illustrated how diverse thematic areas can be brought together. On 14–16 October, two EMISA working groups convened in Tunis for a joint seminar on cooperation as a tool in countering and preventing violent extremism, further reinforcing the importance of multi-agency collaboration in mitigating radicalisation risks. A month later, on 10–14 November, representatives of another two working groups met in Vienna for a workshop on artificial intelligence and hybrid threats. The discussions focused on the growing convergence between terrorism, organised crime, and vulnerabilities affecting critical infrastructure. Together, these activities demonstrated the added value of the EMISA network as a platform where experts can address cross-cutting challenges collectively and translate shared insights into practical cooperation.

To complement these thematic discussions, the annual EMISA co-chairs meeting took place on 24–25 November at CEPOL Headquarters in Budapest. Bringing together the co-chairs from all working groups, the meeting provided a strategic forum to review progress made throughout 2025, consider developments in the composition and thematic focus of the working groups, and agree on the work plans and implementation schedules for 2026.

Established by CEPOL through the Counter-Terrorism Information Exchange and Criminal Justice Responses (CT INFLOW II) project, EMISA serves as a key platform for strategic exchange between counter-terrorism practitioners. The network operates through eight working groups that address specific areas of terrorism and violent extremism, supporting a more harmonised understanding of threats and enhancing partners’ capacity to exchange information and develop coordinated responses.