Strengthening EMPACT participation: Western Balkans and Eastern partners build operational capacity

As Europe continues to face threats like drug trafficking, cyber-attacks, or migrant smuggling, strengthening cross-border cooperation is important. Against these threats, partners from the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership regions gathered for a workshop designed to boost their operational role in the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT). Organised by WB PaCT and TOPCOP projects within the EMPACT Support Network, in cooperation with Europol, the workshop took place on 24–25 April 2025 at Europol Headquarters in The Hague. It focused on enhancing practical capacities for key EMPACT roles. Participants, including National EMPACT Coordinators (NECs), Operational Action (OA) Leaders and Co-Leaders, Action Participants, and Liaison Officers, engaged in discussions covering OA planning, leadership, communication, reporting, and cross-border cooperation. The event marked a moment for reinforcing the strategic alignment between the Western Balkans, Eastern Partnership beneficiaries, and the EU’s operational crime-fighting priorities under the EMPACT Operational Action Plans (OAPs) 2024–2025 and the European Union Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment 2025 (EU-SOCTA). Through expert-led sessions and group work, participants explored key challenges and shared experiences in planning and leading Operational Actions. Exercises included drafting a model Operational Action and discussing the competencies and cooperation mechanisms needed to...