Study visit to EU agencies and other institutions in the Hague

25. 04. 2023

Study visit to EU agencies and other institutions in the Hague

10 officials (prosecutors and investigators) of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan took part in a study visit organized by the EU-funded project LEICA to relevant agencies and departments located in The Hague (The Netherlands). Central to this visit was the Europol Counter-Terrorism Centre (ECTC) where participants learned the operational capacities of this Centre, including its Internet Referral Unit to identify terrorist activity in internet. Europol officials also introduced the methodology to produce the regular Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT). Participants also visited Eurojust, and they learned how this agency supports investigations, organizing joint investigation teams and operational coordination meetings, and establishing operational contacts with more than 60 countries to facilitate mutual legal assistance in criminal matters: in this regard, only Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are included among those Eurojust contact points. Since the rest of the delegations expressed their interest in being part of that network, Eurojust officials explained the procedure for it.
The visit in The Hague was completed with a visit to the ICCT (International Counter-Terrorism Centre), an international organization that researches and publishes on issues related to terrorism and violent extremism, with a focus on FTFs (Foreign Terrorist Fighters), rule of law, and women and children at risk to radicalization. 
Last, but not the least, Central Asia officials met with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Justice and Security, where they exchanged their experiences in relation to the return of FTFs and their families from war zones, and discussed about the situation in Afghanistan, and the threats stemming from Syria and Iraq. 
The European Union funded project LEICA is managed by the EU Commission, through a consortium made up by French CIVIPOL and Slovak ISEMI, with the support of Interpol.    

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