| European Commission |
| Commissioner wants ‘full interoperability’ between Europol and national police forces by 2023 The Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson said that “trust, technology and teamwork” are essential to a new initiative that will tackle organised crime in the EU, at the European Security Summit on 15 October (link). She highlighted the need for an ‘EU police cooperation code’ and closer cooperation between Europol and national police forces, setting a target of 2023 for ‘full interoperability’. Commission sets out key steps for vaccination strategies · Capacity of vaccination services, including skilled workforce and equipment · Easy and affordable access to vaccines · Effective deployment of vaccines with different characteristics and storage needs · Clear communication on the benefits and risks of COVID-19 vaccines. |
| Council |
| EU leaders debate Brexit The leaders of EU27 Member States met in Brussels on 15-16 October to discuss the future relationship with the EU. Conclusions adopted by the Member States call on the UK to “make the necessary moves to make an agreement possible” and ask Michel Barnier, the EU’s chief negotiator, to continue talks (link). |
| National updates |
| · Belarus: Security forces detain dozens of protestors (link)
· Belgium: Police station closed due to COVID-19 case (link) · Croatia: Police officer shot and injured near government building (link) · France: Attack on police station prompts calls for tougher government action (link) · Germany: The State of Lower Saxony will launch a study examining incidents of extremism in the state’s police forces (link) · Sweden: Record numbers worried about crime but confidence in the police continues to rise (link) |
| Other news |
| Europol: electronic evidence gathering becomes game
A game specifically created to train law enforcement officers in online investigations has been adopted by Europol (link). |
| EU-OSHA launches Healthy Workplaces Campaign 2020-2022
The latest EU-OSHA Healthy Workplaces Campaign will focus on work-related musculoskeletal disorders, suffered by around three in five European workers (link). |
| Look ahead |
| – 19 October: Publication of the European Commission’s 2021 Work Programme
– 19 October: OECD event for the publication of the International Migration Outlook 2020 *Commissioner Johansson to speak (link) – 19 – 23 October: European Week of Health & Safety at Work (link) – 21 October: CEPOL webinar on unlawful profiling (link) |