National Contact Points' Meeting Budapest September 2024

Over the last two years, the ENLETS community has worked on various useful topics supporting the LEA ecosystem in Europe.

Some of the key actions include:

1. A structured way of promoting best practices, offering a platform for the exchange of ideas and insights to stimulate progress in law enforcement technology across Europe
2. Recommendations for changes and developments that could help improve cross-border collaboration between EU Members and associated countries.
3. An in-depth and comprehensive study on the state of play on public order in different European LEAs identified practitioners’ gaps and needs in equipment, technology, legal frameworks, training, working methods and processes, standards, and automation.
4. Illustrating the most complex challenges facing LEAs in green policing e.g. illustrating the need for economic cooperation across LEAs moving towards infrastructure that supports a greener future.
5. Defining strategic and operational requirements considering the varied security landscapes of Member States to harmonise the approach towards counteracting Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS).
6. Conducting comprehensive research to identify the specific requirements of LEAs concerning C-UAS capabilities – including the latest technologies to improve countermeasures. The group tested these methods through dedicated threat scenarios, implementing sophisticated strategies and advanced technologies to counter drone-related threats effectively.

The event in Budapest also marks the launch of ENLETS 3.0 – the next iteration of the ENLETS project. The group reflected on the work to be done, especially in the area of establishing common requirements and gaps, monitoring research and innovations within the policing arena covering C-UAS, Mission Critical Communications, Public Order and Frontline Policing.

During the event, a dedicated workshop on the state of play of Mission Critical Communication System (MCCS) highlighted the need to be better prepared against attempts to disrupt the critical infrastructure of the EU and its Member States. The session also highlighted a need to enhance the capacity of public authorities responsible for security and safety to respond to emergencies. Enabling modern and secure communication capabilities is a key requirement to meet both needs. Many of the points will be tackled in the coming months as part of the latest ENLETS endeavour.

The NCP meeting was organised as a part of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Thanks to all involved for their wonderful hospitality and for preparing impressive demonstrations, which included showcasing the technologies used by the Hungarian police in public policing, such as body cameras and drones for monitoring protests, ensuring road safety, and conducting search and rescue/retrieval tasks.