Ramallah, 13th May 2010 - EUPOL COPPS participated together with the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) in the recent Open Day in Brussels commemorating the Schuman Declaration, the document that gave birth to the European Community back in 1950.
In this yearly event, the institutions of the EU (the Council, the Commission and the Parliament) open their doors to the public with the aim of explaining to the European citizens the daily work of the EU complex machinery. This year, the EU celebrated the 60th anniversary of its creation and the entry into force of Treaty of Lisbon. A similar event was organized on 9th May in Ramallah by the European Commission Technical Assistance Office (ECTAO), where EUPOL COPPS and the PCP shared a stand as well.
A delegation of EUPOL COPPS officials participated with their PCP counterparts in a joint stand in the Council of the European Union on 8th May in Brussels. More than 5000 people visited the Council and had the opportunity to be informed about EUPOL COPPS and its relations with the PCP. The President of the European Council, Herman VAN ROMPUY, visited the stand and was briefed about EUPOL COPPS and its partnership with the PCP.
Previously, EUPOL COPPS’ Head of Mission, Commissioner Henrik MALMQUIST, together with Brigadier General Youssef OZREIL, Head of the PCP’s Media and Public Relations Department, addressed the European and international media in a joint press conference celebrated in the Council Secretariat’s premises in Brussels. The press conference was moderated by Ms.Maja KOCIJANIC, Spokeswoman of High Representative Catherine ASHTON. Both representatives underlined the improvement of the security situation in the West Bank and the importance of a democratic, effective and sustainable Palestinian Civil Police.
The Open Day and all these meetings were an excellent opportunity to discuss the role of EUPOL COPPS as a fundamental player within the Security Sector Reform in the Palestinian Territories, as well as the EU’s commitment to achieving peace in the Middle East and promoting its values through the different EU policies, among them the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP).
