Knowledge of issues of internal legal order of the partner country, exchange of information, knowledge and experience as the key to increasing the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies in combating organized drug crime
Completed
The EEA and Norway Grants
The EEA and Norway Grants represent the contribution of Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway towards a green, competitive and inclusive Europe. There are two overall objectives: reduction of economic and social disparities in Europe, and to strengthen bilateral relations between the donor countries and 15 EU countries in Central and Southern Europe and the Baltics. The three donor countries cooperate closely with the EU through the Agreement on the European Economic Area (EEA). The donors have provided €3.3 billion through consecutive grant schemes between 1994 and 2014. For the period 2014-2021, the EEA and Norway Grants amount to €2.8 billion. The priorities for this period are:
- Innovation, Research, Education and Competitiveness
- Social Inclusion, Youth Employment and Poverty Reduction
- Environment, Energy, Climate Change and Low Carbon Economy
- Culture, Civil Society, Good Governance and Fundamental Rights
- Justice and Home Affairs
Eligibility for the Grants mirror the criteria set for the EU Cohesion Fund aimed at member countries where the Gross National Income (GNI) per inhabitant is less than 90% of the EU average. The EEA and Norway Grants scheme consists of two financial mechanisms.
The EEA Grants are jointly financed by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, whose contributions are based on their GDP. Norway Grants are financed solely by Norway
For more information on The EEA and Norway Grants, please visit: www.norwaygrants.org and www.eog.gov.pl
Project information
Title of the project:
Knowledge of issues of internal legal order of the partner country, exchange of information, knowledge and experience as the key to increasing the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies in combating organized drug crime
Programme:
The Project is implemented under the funds of the Bilateral Cooperation Fund of the European Economic Area Financial Mechanism 2014-2021 and the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014-2021.
Project value: 521 406 PLN, including 100% of financing: 521 406 PLN.
Financial Agreement: The agreement on the financing of Initiative No. 8 was signed on September 30, 2019
Period of implementation: 01.04. 2020 – 30.06.2023
General description of the project: The main objective of the project is to increase the ability of The Police Central Bureau of Investigation to combat organized crime, mainly of a narcotic nature through identification and elimination of differences between the activities of Polish and Icelandic police, and law enforcement agencies of the Scandinavian countries, including the development of methods, instructions and tools to combat illegal laboratories drug.
As part of the project, it is planned to conduct training and study visits, consultations, meetings for exchange of information, good practices and knowledge on the differences between legal systems as well as the organizational structure of law enforcement and judicial authorities of the parties to the initiative
In addition, it is also planned to conduct training to broaden knowledge of techniques and methods for safe disposal of illegal drug production sites, recognition of production methods and narcotic drugs themselves, tactical methodology for managing objects and further activities characterized by the possibility of a possible chemical threat (liquidation of laboratories ) and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and other new technologies during the implementation of detention activities and the liquidation of illegal drug production sites.
Project activities:
- Kick-off meeting – conference starting up the project
- Training on general Police issues in Iceland – study visit
- Training on combating illegal synthetic drug labs in Poland
- Job shadowing – study visits in Poland and Iceland
- Seminar summarizing the project
- Promotion of the project
News:
In February 2020, a conference initiating the project was organized, which was attended by 13 representatives of the Polish side and 5 representatives of the Icelandic side. The purpose of the meeting was to present the project, its objectives and schedule, to present the people responsible for the course and coordination of the project, to determine the channels for exchanging information about the project, arrangements for settlements and the flow of documentation, anticipated problems and risks related to the implementation project.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation of all activities in consultation with the Icelandic partner has been postponed to 2022.
Continuing the project in 2022, two trainings and one study visit were carried out. In March 2022, the implementation of the training focusing on general police issues took place in Reykjavik (Iceland). The meeting was attended by 10 representatives of the Icelandic side and 12 representatives of the Polish side specializing mainly in combating crime, including organized and drug crime, using international cooperation during their official activities. The meeting was of a training nature.
The next training was carried out in April 2022 at the International Training Center for Combating Illegal Drug Laboratories at the Police Training Center in Legionowo. The training was attended by 12 representatives of the Icelandic side and 6 representatives of the Polish side specializing in combating drug crime, performing activities consisting in the liquidation of drug laboratories, conducting procedural activities in such laboratories.
In May 2022, a study visit to Reykjavik (Iceland) was organized, in which 6 representatives of the Icelandic side and 6 representatives of the Polish side took part. Participants are the investigators of cases in which information exchanged in the framework of international cooperation between the parties to the project has been used or in which international cooperation will be necessary in the future. The meetings were an exchange of experience of operational officers.
In March 2023, a second study visit took place, during which six police officers from Iceland came to Poland to exchange experience (job shadowing). During the meeting on the territory of Poland, officers from Iceland were able to learn about the working methodology of the operational officers of the Board in Katowice of the CBŚP and the threats related to the operation of organised drug criminal groups.
In June 2023, a seminar to summarise the project was held, attended among others by high-ranking representatives of the Police of both countries. During the seminar, a summary of the activities carried out under the initiative and the results of their implementation was presented. In addition, in connection with the liquidation by the CBŚP of two illegal synthetic drug laboratories where mephedrone and klefedrone were produced, an additional panel was set up, which met with great interest from the partner. The modus operandi of criminal groups was presented, the detection process and the method of securing the aforementioned laboratories were demonstrated. At the end of the seminar, representatives of both sides, assured of further cooperation at the operational level, exchange of information and experience in the form of joint training and activities. They expressed their desire to continue the project and emphasised that the objective of the current undertaking had been fully achieved.
