ATLAS Network

The ATLAS network is an association of the police tactical units of the 27 Member States of the European Union established following the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 upon the initiative of the Police Chiefs Task Force.[1][2] ATLAS was initially informally established for information exchange and training activities co-operation between units and was later formalised by a Council decision in 2008 that also expanded ATLAS functions to include provision of assistance upon request to another Member State.[1][2][3]

This article is about the police association. For the US-based foundation that supports think tanks, see Atlas Network. For other networks, see Atlas (disambiguation).
ATLAS
MottoAll together to protect you
Formation2001[1]
PurposePolice tactical unit co-operation
Region served
Europe
Parent organization
European Union

ATLAS uses the terms special intervention unit and crisis situation defined as:-

  • 'Special intervention unit' is any law enforcement unit of a Member State which is specialised in the control of a crisis situation;[1]
  • 'Crisis situation' is any situation in which the competent authorities of a Member State have reasonable grounds to believe that there is a criminal offence presenting a serious direct physical threat to persons, property, infrastructure or institutions in that Member State in particular situations combating terrorism.[1]

ATLAS recognises that a Member State may not have the means, resources or expertise to deal effectively with all crisis situations, in particular large crisis situations, and provides a framework for a Member State to request assistance from another member State.[1]

In 2018, an ATLAS Support Office was established in EUROPOL's European Counter Terrorism Centre (ECTC), therefore strenghtening the role of the ATLAS Network within the European police organisations.[4][5]

Members

ATLAS consists of 38 special intervention units including units from non-EU Member States Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and the United Kingdom.[6] The non-EU Member States can participate, including the use of all facilities, but have no voting rights.[7]

UnitCountryNotes
AKS[6] Denmark
ARAS[6] Lithuania
ATJ Lučko[6] Croatia
BOA[6] Poland
BSIJ[6] Romania / Jandarmeria
Delta[6] NorwayNon-EU participate.
DSI[6] Netherlands
DSU[6] Belgium
EAO[6] Cyprus
EKAM[6] Greece
EKO Cobra[6] Austria
ERU[6] Ireland
GEO[6] Spain / National Police
GIGN[6] France / National Gendarmerie
GIOE[6] Portugal / National Republican Guard
GIS[6] Italy / Carabinieri
GOE[6] Portugal / Public Security Police
GSG 9[6] Germany / Federal Police
Karhu[6] Finland
K-Komando[6] Estonia
Lynx[6] Slovakia
NI[6] Sweden
NOCS[6] Italy / National Police
OMEGA[6] Latvia
RAID[6] France / National Police
Red Panther[6] Slovenia
SCO19[6] United KingdomNon-EU participate.
SEK Baden-Württemberg[6] Germany / LandespolizeiRepresenting the SEKs of the various Landespolizeien
Special Intervention Unit (SIU) Malta
  Switzerland[6]Non-EU participate.
SIAS[6] Romania / National Police
SOBT[6] Bulgaria
TEK[6] Hungary
UEI[6] Spain / Guardia Civil
URNA[6] Czech Republic
USP[6] Luxembourg
Viking[6] IcelandNon-EU participate.

See also

References
  1. "On the improvement of cooperation between the special intervention units of the Member States of the European Union in crisis situations". Council Decision No. 2008/617/JHA of 23 June 2008. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  2. "Seminar of the ATLAS network of European special intervention units". Presidency of the Council of the European Union. October 2008. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011.
  3. Block, Ludo (15 March 2007). "Europe's Emerging Counter-Terrorism Elite: The ATLAS Network". Terrorism Monitor. The Jamestown Foundation. 5 (5). Retrieved 7 October 2017.
  4. https://www.europol.europa.eu/newsroom/news/closer-international-cooperation-to-fight-hostage-taking-kidnapping-and-terrorism
  5. https://www.epochtimes.de/politik/europa/grossuebung-europaeischer-spezialeinheiten-unter-zusammenarbeit-von-atlas-und-europol-a2670092.html
  6. "Closer international cooperation to fight hostage-taking, kidnapping and terrorism". Europol (Press release). 10 October 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  7. "Strengthening the ATLAS Network". Council of the European Union. 1 September 2017. 11828/17. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.