Hungarian victory – The responsible committee of the EP supports CEPOL to be seated in Budapest

„The today’s vote is an important step in the rather long political fight about the future seat of CEPOL, which – in line of the earlier decision of the Council – should be seated in Budapest. Those favouring the merger of CEPOL and EUROPOL are many, but with the today’s decision the LIBE Committee unambiguously expressed its support towards Budapest. Thus today we reached a victory also in the European Parliament.” – stressed Kinga Gál, Rapporteur on CEPOL, MEP of the European People’s Party (EPP).
 
„I consider it as a personal success that the EPP was united by the vote of my report, furthermore I gained personal support from other groups as well, though the liberals, the greens and the far-left, as well as some socialist member were not supportive towards Budapest. As today the LIBE committee enforced the position of the Council, I expect smooth negotiations with the other institutions. This position can only be enforced by the plenary in April. Thus the CEPOL will be located in Budapest from September 2014. Members of the Hungarian EPP-delegation did their best and will continue doing so to reach a final victory” – emphasized Kinga Gál (EPP).

Background:  There was a need to find a new location for CEPOL, responsible for the trainings of senior police officers, as last year London decided to close the institution by August 2014, seated in Bramshill. Beside six other Member States, Hungary also submitted its application to be a new host for CEPOL. Last October the interior ministers of the Member States favoured the Hungarian application, and decided upon Budapest. The original proposal of the European Commission was to merge CEPOL with EUROPOL, seated also in The Hague. This suggestion on the merger was not supported either by the Member States, or by the European Parliament. In the decision on the new seat of CEPOL the European Parliament should be involved, and a plenary vote ought to enforce the final result. According to the result gained on the vote today, trialouges will start with the Commission and the Member States. The final plenary vote might take place in the last sitting of this Parliament, April 2014.