Today, 16 November 2021, a videoconference of the Executive Committee of the European Crime Prevention Network (EUCPN) took place as part of Slovenia's Presidency of the Council of the EU. The EUCPN aims to connect local, national and European levels and to promote crime prevention knowledge and practices among the EU Member States.

The meeting was organised by the EUCPN Chair and Secretariat. The participants were welcomed by the Chair Tomaž Peršolja of the Criminal Police Directorate of the Slovenian police. He underlined the importance of this meeting in preparation for an upcoming EUCPN decision-making Board meeting: “Well prepared starting points make Board discussions more focused and effective, as most tasks are already coordinated and ready for adoption”.

The agenda included the implementation of the Secretariat funding project, a discussion on results of an EUCPN external survey commissioned by the European Commission, and a progress report concerning “evidence-based approach in crime prevention” and “EUCPN governance”. The participants also discussed drawing up a 2022 work programme and this year’s annual report.

Today's meeting of the EUCPN Executive Committee is also important in view of the preparation and coordination of the agenda for the EUCPN Board meeting to be held on 8 December 2021 through videoconferencing and the Best Practice Conference to be held on 9 December 2021. The latter will be devoted to peer violence and will feature 19 projects of 19 countries. Those projects will help develop new practice in this area, building on the existing best practice.

The European Crime Prevention Network was set up in 2001 by Council Decision (2001/427/JHA), which was replaced in 2009 (2009/902 /JHA). It is headed by a Board of national representatives, which consists of a Chair, the Executive Committee and national representatives. Each Member State can have one national representative and one substitute, who participate at the meetings of the Network. They are responsible for the approval of the Network’s strategic approach, the implementation of the EUCPN work programme and the adoption of the annual report of the Network’s activities. They meet at least twice a year.

Six Member States are represented in the Executive Committee: two national representatives selected by the Board for 18 months, and the national representatives from the last, current and the next two Presidencies of the Council of the European Union. In addition, a representative of the European Commission attends meetings of the Executive Committee and the EUCPN Board as an observer.