EUPOL COPPS: EU Police and Rule of Law Mission for the occupied Palestinian territory - Civilian mission

EUPOL COPPS: EU Police and Rule of Law Mission for the occupied Palestinian territory - Civilian mission

EUPOL COPPS, established on 1 January 2006, is the European Union Mission for the Support of Palestinian Police and Rule of Law. Initially the Mission was established as a Police Mission comprising a Police Advisory Section. In 2008 a Rule of Law Section was added. To reflect on the mandate of EUPOL COPPS, the Mission's operational sections have become: Security Sector Reform Unit and Justice Unit.

EUPOL COPPS, mainly through these two units, assists the Palestinian Authority in building its institutions, for a future Palestinian state, focused on security and justice sector reforms. This is effected under Palestinian ownership and in accordance with the best European and international standards. Ultimately the Mission's objective is to improve the safety and security of the Palestinian people.

The Mission forms part of the wider EU effort to support Palestinian state building, in the context of working towards a comprehensive peace, based on a two-State solution.

EUPOL COPPS is fully dedicated to the inclusion of human rights as well as a gender perspective and gender-mainstreaming standards in all of its activities, both within the Mission and while working with our Palestinian counterparts.

What we do

• To support the Palestinian Civil Police reform and development;
• To strengthen and support the Criminal Justice System;

Background

The European Union has long been at the forefront of efforts for peace in the Middle East. Its priorities include further strengthening law and order, and in this context, EUPOL COPPS is an important element in the improvement of the safety and security in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

EUPOL COPPS builds on the work of the European Union Mission for the Support of Palestinian Police and Rule of Law, established earlier within the office of the EU Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process. This initiative followed the expression by EU leaders in June 2004 of their readiness to support the Palestinian Authority in taking responsibility for law and order and, in particular, in improving its civil police and law enforcement capacity.

At a Glance

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Check here the EUPOL COPPS factsheet.