WB PACT II V3

Funded by DG NEAR

CEPOL (project lead) & EUROPOL48 months

Project kick-off 27 September 2024

WB PACT IIWestern Balkans Partnership Against Crime and Terrorism II

Exchanges

Strategic cooperation forumsEMPACT Support Network (ESN) Counter-Terrorism Support Network (CTSN)

Improved strategic and support networks

WB PaCT ACHIEVEMENTS

OTNATraining portfolio

Increased knowledge and operational capacities

Emerging Needs Training

Improved investigative capabilities

Exchanges

11 % Other

3 % Border

4 % Customs/Tax

9 % Judiciary

73 % Police

Sectoral representation

Gender balance

1,247

Overall participation per beneficiary

28%

Total participation in training activities

Actual

Target

Actual

Target

1,599

67

Total activities

76

66%

34%

WB PaCT ACHIEVEMENTS

Exchanges

Enhance the operational and strategic capacities of authorities in the Western Balkans to fight organised crime and terrorism

SO1: Strengthen the operational cooperation within the Western Balkans and between the region and the EU on organised crime and terrorism using the expertise of the JHA Agencies.​ ​ SO2: Enhance the Western Balkans strategic cooperation and use of coherent approaches in addressing challenges related to organised crime and terrorism.​

Senior Project Officer

Tihan Keseli

Project Manager

Gheorghe Despa

Project Officer

Project Officer

Alessia Maisano

Illes Arvay

Senior Project Officer

Senior Project Officer

Senior Project Officer

Pedro Costa unoz

Kati Kaitera-Topp

Damir Maracic

Project team

Exchanges

Rapid response training package

Operational Training Needs Analysis (OTNA)

Train the trainers programme

Strategic Cooperation Forum

CT Support Network

EMPACT Support Network

Emerging threats and analysis

8 COMPONENTS

Training portfolio

Exchanges

* on annual basis: EU CrimACon and OAs strategic meetings

• Project Kick-Off
• Rapid Training Responses (RTR) started
• SOCTA workshop
• 1st Joint TOPCOP ESN JAD workshop

• OTNA 2026 Report and Training Catalogue
• 2nd revision of Rapid training responses package
• 2nd Strategic Cooperation Forum

• All Regional Training Cycles started
• RTR Training Catalogue and first training sessions delivered
• 1st Strategic Cooperation Forum
• 1st CTSN workshop

• All Regional Training Cycles concluded
• RTR package concluded
• OTNA 2026 training sessions delivered

• Project closure
• Pool of regional trainers
• CT guidelines
• ESN booklets
• Cascading sessions

WB Pact II Timeline

2024

2025

2026

2027

2028

Thank you!

Exchanges

Component 7: Operational Training Needs Analysis 2026

Collection, analysis of data, and consultation with experts and practitioners

Assess, prioritise, and respond to the specific training needs

Improve and update training framework

Identify the gaps in knowledge, skills & competencies

Enhance skills, knowledge and capabilities, improve operational effectiveness and safety of LE

Component 1: Training portfolio

2022 OTNA Regional Training priorities

Multiplication

Mentoring

Train the Trainer

ILP/CLP

Training cycles

Fraud, economic and financial crimes

Drugs trafficking

High risk criminal networks

Cyber-attacks

Cross-cutting

Migrant smuggling

Counter Terrorism; Anticipate

7 areas

• Training needs assesment based on EU crime priorities under the EMPACT cycle and the European Counter-Terrorism Agenda, adapted by the SCF findings

• Core competency gaps identified (financial investigations and international cooperation)

• Seven training priorities identified at regional level - basis for Component 1 WB PACT II

Operational Training Needs Assessment (OTNA)

EMPACT Support Network (ESN)

• Enhanced skills and knowledge in the detection, investigation, and prosecution of terrorism financing
• Increased international and inter-agency cooperation, including private sector
• Guideline on "Good Practices in Countering Terrorism Financing in the Western Balkans" developed and disseminated

Counter-Terrorism Support Network (CTSN)

• Shaping strategic priorities and addressing emerging security threats
• Platform for sustainable capacity-building, share of best practices and practical solutions to operational challenges.

• Increased knowledge of EMPACT and its priorities
• Better alignment with EU strategies
• Stronger cooperation fostered between the Western Balkans and the EU

Strategic Cooperation Forum

Implementing partner Europol

2315 participants

168 activities

48 months

Component 8: Rapid training response

Delivery of the Training Packages

Development of the Training Packages

Presenting findings of assessment to interested parties

Assessment against urgency and proficiency

Consultation with Europol to ensure consistency with EMPACT

Collection of proposals from beneficiaries and partners

Provide rapid response training according to immediate needs

Component 5: Strategic Cooperation Forum

Agree on rapid training response priorities

Validate the OTNA report

Revise and verify the relevance, and recommend adjustments

Cross-checks training priorities

Expert group for the development and approval of OTNA

Heads of Operational/Training Units

Enhance multinational LEcooperation and coordination

Component 6: Multiplication training courses

Pool of national trainers

Multiplication training courses

Internal trainers within the operational units, subject matter experts, curriculum developers

Linked with the regional curricula

Improve outreach of training programmes and increase the number of trained LE officials

Component 4: CT Support Nework

Regional workshops

FTF and reintegrationViolent extremismTerrorism content onlineRadicalization

Guidenlines on CTFto be distributed

Create and disseminate good practices

Improve regional response to CT

Identify needs, gaps and requirement for innovative solutions

• Emerging training needs identified, following a structured methodology based on the immediate operational demands

• Training catalogue developped, revised on anual basis

• Training sessions delivered, customised to address most pressing operational needs

Emerging Needs Training (ENT)

EU CrimACon

Component 2: Emerging threats and Analysis

Information and study visits

Strategic Analysys/SOCTA

Enhance analytical capabilities

Component 3: EMPACT Support Nework

Regional workshops

National EMPACT awareness meetings

Participation in OAs strategic meetings

Enhance capacity to participate in EMPACT