The European Confederation of Police is the umbrella organization of 33 trade unions from 26 European countries, which represent a total of more than 500,000 police officers. It was founded in 2002 at a conference in Roskilde, Denmark, emerging from the Union Internationale des Syndicats de Police, which had existed since 1953. It was created in order to enable further organizations, particularly ones from the United Kingdom, to join. The union's headquarters is in Luxembourg. EuroCOP represents its members in European matters and at European Union institutions. For example, the union has an observer status at the Council of Europe. Its goals include enhancing the efficiency of police work under democratic control, the creation of norms for the qualifications of police employees, the preservation of the civil status of police officers, and the prevention of the privatization of police duties. One example of a current mission of EuroCOP has been to push the Spanish government to follow its election promise to completely de-militarize the Guardia Civil. The organization should not be confused with the idea of "Euro-Cops", EUROPOL police officers, whose jurisdiction would reach into all of Europe.
Background
The European Confederation of Police is an organization made up of 33 trade unions from 26 European Countries, which includes more than 500,000 police officers. The EuroCOP was founded in a conference in 2002 in Roskilde, Denmark as a revision to the precious Union Internationale des Syndicats de Police, which had existed since 1953. The organization was created to allow police organizations from the United Kingdom to join. EuroCOP are members of the European Union Institutions, which allows the union to have a say in the council of Europe. The goal is to enhance the police work under democratic control, to prevent private investor of police duties, and to create norms for the police employees.
No. 83/2012 European Confederation of Police (EUROCOP) v. Ireland
EuroCOP filled a complaint against Ireland on 7 June 2012, dealing with the fact that police representative associations in Ireland do not have full trade union rights, including the right to join an umbrella organisation. An umbrella organization is an association of institutions, who work together formally to coordinate activities or pool resources. The EuroCOP requested that Ireland grants complete full trade union rights for the police representations in Ireland. Meaning, that the police representative associations are kept out of the overall national negotiations that ICTU conduct on behalf of their members, such as those on salaries in the public service.
EuroCop mission
EuroCOP has been fighting to try and get attention and promote four main groups:
a social Europe for the police
Internal Security for the Police
Safety for the Police
Solidarity and Network building
By 2020, EuroCOP plans on working together in the environment of equality, safety and support and providing the rights, rescue and training to keep the European citizens safe and secure for the future ahead. EuroCOP has a missions to set of three strategies to guide our actions in the years to come:
Raising EuroCOP's profile
Building EU policy that supports European police officers
Establishing policing best practice
Health and Safety
The EU has a certain health and safety policy for all of their workers. Here are the policies:
EuroCOP strongly encourages further discussion of sector specific legislative initiatives on the health and safety rights of police officers at the EU level. It is crucial that the appropriate working conditions are in place to reduce work-related illnesses as much as possible.
Working conditions can be varied and imbalanced across the EU. Increasingly, police officers are not provided with the same health and safety rights as other European workers. EuroCOP believes that the main driver to redress this imbalance needs to be political will and the proper implementation of current EU health and safety legislation.
EuroCOP stresses the need for the health and safety of police officers to be addressed at the political level to enable information-sharing and best practices on the prevention of violence against law enforcement officers and the reduction of their exposure to extreme situations, allowing them to perform their duties safely. The capabilities of European police forces depend to a large extent on the appropriate working conditions.
EuroCOP calls on EU policymakers to recognize the particularities of police work and to ensure that police officers are provided with the appropriate working conditions to carry out their duties and to keep citizens and themselves safe and healthy.
EuroCOP believes that it is of utmost importance for injured police officers have equal access to the necessary medical and psychological support across the EU Member States.
Social Rights
Over the last couple years, European police have had their rights been slowly taken away. The only way police officers can fully enjoy the benefits of their rights, such as just conditions of work and fair pay, it is important that all obstacles inhibit the exercise of police union rights and the right to freedom of expression are removed. EuroCOP is working with European policymakers to address these issues and raise awareness about the different national conditions for law enforcement employees and their organizations.
Member organizations
Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors
Association Syndicale Autonome des Personnels de la Police d'Etat de Monaco
