International Cooperation Mentoring Programme 2025 launched in Budapest: Building trust, knowledge, and cooperation across the EU and its neighbourhood

Law enforcement professionals from the European Union, the Western Balkans, the Eastern Partnership, and the Southern Neighbourhood gathered in Budapest to launch the 2025 cycle of CEPOL’s International Cooperation Mentoring Programme — an initiative aiming at strengthening cross-border cooperation and building long-term professional ties to tackle shared security challenges.

The cycle began with a three-day kick-off event at CEPOL headquarters in Budapest from 20–22 May. Newly selected EU mentors and mentees from partner countries met in person for the first time, united by a shared commitment to law enforcement excellence and cross-border cooperation. The programme promotes practical collaboration and the idea that law enforcement is a family — one that thrives on trust and shared experience.

“I am confident that this programme will help further strengthen relationships between EU and CEPOL partner countries law enforcement authorities. The kick-off meeting allows us to build a foundation of trust from the very beginning and quickly move into the work process,” said Norman, one of the mentors from Germany.

The programme blends professional development with partnership-building, deepening participants' understanding of shared security challenges. By pairing experienced law enforcement officials from EU Member States with their counterparts in partner countries, the programme fosters practical cooperation on common priorities — from counter-terrorism and cybercrime to trafficking, corruption, and financial investigations. The result is not only individual growth, but also stronger collaboration between law enforcement bodies across regions.

“By collaborating, I believe we can overcome the obstacles we face at the international level — by understanding each other’s systems and the possibilities we bring to the fight against crime. The kick-off meeting created space for that exchange and opened the door to future cooperation and support, even beyond the duration of the mentoring programme,” said Aida, a mentee from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In the coming months, mentoring pairs will work together on shared objectives through regular online exchanges and face-to-face visits, with support from their institutions and CEPOL’s International Cooperation Unit. The programme will conclude with a final evaluation, assessing not only individual progress but also the impact of the mentoring cycle on institutional cooperation.

As participants begin this journey, they contribute to a broader goal: boosting institutional capacity and strengthening international cooperation. The mentoring programme continues to demonstrate that true security is rooted in shared knowledge, trust, and human connection.