EuroCOP adopts its 2024 European Parliament Elections Manifesto
We are at the brink of political changes in the European Union. At the beginning of June EU citizens will take part in EU elections and choose new Members of the European Parliament. By the end of the year, we shall also see new EU Commissioners taking their office. These changes will shape future EU legislative agenda. In order to make sure that priority issues for police officers in Europe are taken into account by policy makers, EuroCOP has launched its Manifesto for EU elections. This important step has been announced during EuroCOP Spring meeting in Malta on 17th of April.
“We want Europe to be the place, where police officers are operating together in an environment of equality, safety and support, provided with the rights, resources, and training to keep Europe’s citizens safe and secure. With our 2024 European Parliament Elections Manifesto we call on all European democratic parties and candidates as well as newly elected MEPs and Commissioners to endorse our values and priorities in order to build a fair and secure European Union through 3 commitments” explains Jonne Rinne, EuroCOP President.
These three commitments cover priority issues for police officers in Europe. They are in line with EuroCOP’s key goals such as Social Europe for Police, Internal Security in Europe, Safety for the Police and Solidarity and Network building.
- EU decision makers should address the increasing problem of violence against police officers. This deteriorating situation has been routinely ignored for too many years. As a first step, EuroCOP is calling to establish a central repository of data in the EU as regards incidences of violence against police officers. Collection of data at EU level would help understand the roots of the problem, exchange best practices between Members States and adapt safety awareness training programs for police officers.
- In order to secure continuous recruitment and retention of police officers in EU Member States, EuroCOP believes that it is indispensable to guarantee to them fair working conditions and social rights. EuroCOP is calling on EU decision makers to provide police officers with appropriate support, training and resources needed to carry out their duties and to guarantee adequate wages, working time provisions as well as mental health support.
- EuroCOP sees urgent need in enhancing common trust between Members States and their authorities and to facilitate cooperation and information exchange between police forces in Europe. EuroCOP is calling on future decision makers to remove any obstacle that hampers police cross-border cooperation and strengthen cooperation with regards to migration crisis, human and weapon trafficking, terrorist threats and eco-crime.
“The EuroCOP Manifesto has been endorsed unanimously during our Spring Annual meeting in Malta. The Manifesto will serve as a guiding document for EuroCOP priorities for the legislative term 2024-2029. We very much count on new European Parliament and European Commission to deliver on our priorities and to address the issue of violence against police officers in a holistic fashion” added Jonne Rinne, EuroCOP President.
This press release was originally published on the EuroCOP website on 23 April 2024
