EU-patrols as a tool of cross-border cooperation in the European Union

The EU-Patrols programme, carried out between 2022 and 2025 and co-financed by the Internal Security Fund of the European Union, exemplifies the deepening Europeanisation of internal security policy, in which practical police cooperation goes beyond the traditional exchange of information and coordination and moves to the stage of the physical presence of officers from one country on the territory of another. The aim of the programme is to enable joint patrols in places particularly susceptible to increased threats — for example during mass events, in tourist centres or in situations requiring an intensified presence of public-order services. By 2025 nearly a thousand patrols had been carried out, involving officers from more than twenty Member States and covering large-scale events such as the Olympic Games in Paris, the Rugby World Cup and World Youth Day in Lisbon. In addition to its practical dimension, this initiative also has a symbolic function. The joint presence of patrols is intended to strengthen the sense of community, solidarity and security among European citizens.

Despite the cited benefits, the project raises a number of controversies and doubts that make it an example of a political and legal experiment. The most serious relate to normative aspects. The presence of foreign officers performing police activities on the territory of another state raises questions about the scope of the powers granted to them, the legal basis for their actions and responsibility in the event of abuses. In the classic understanding, the nation-state holds the monopoly on the use of coercive force and on organising public order within its territory. In the case of cross-border patrols, an ambiguous situation arises. An officer in the uniform of their own country takes action on the host state’s territory, and responsibility for those actions is not clearly divided between the sending state and the host. For this reason the project walks a legal tightrope, creating the risk of infringing the sovereignty of Member States and of undermining the protection of individual rights.     

Questions are also raised about the programme’s effectiveness and proportionality. Its budget exceeds five million euros, the vast majority of which comes from EU funds. However, the lack of clearly defined and transparent indicators of effectiveness makes it difficult to assess results reliably. The sheer number of patrols conducted says little about the quality of the actions if it is unknown to what extent they contributed to detecting crime, shortening response times of services or improving citizens« subjective sense of security. There is therefore a concern that the initiative chiefly serves a demonstrative role — a symbol of political will to cooperate — but does not necessarily translate into a real strengthening of effectiveness in combating crime and preventing threats.   

Public perception of the joint patrols is an equally important element of their evaluation. In some circumstances they may be perceived as a reinforcement of security and an expression of European solidarity, while in others they may provoke distance or a sense of external interference in local public order. Trust in the police is usually based on its rootedness in the community, knowledge of local realities and direct relationships with residents. Therefore the presence of foreign officers, even if acting in good faith, may be perceived as less credible. To ensure lasting social acceptance, transparent communication, clearly defined procedures and accessible mechanisms for oversight and complaints for citizens are necessary.   

The issue of the project’s durability and institutionalisation also deserves special attention. EU-Patrols were established as a temporary initiative whose operation depends on EU financing. There is thus a concern that once the current funding cycle ends the project will cease to exist, leaving no lasting structures of cooperation. For patrols to become a stable element of the EU’s internal security architecture, they should be embedded in broader legal frameworks, linked with EU agencies such as Europol or Frontex, and integrated with existing regulatory and operational mechanisms. Only in this way can the initiative move beyond a symbolic-political dimension and transform into a fully fledged tool of common security policy.   

The EU-Patrols project is an example of a solution that provokes both interest and controversy. On the one hand, it demonstrates that transnational cooperation in the field of security is feasible and that Member States are willing to take actions that go beyond traditional forms of cooperation. On the other hand, the project reveals tensions arising from the simultaneous pursuit of deeper integration and the protection of Member States« sovereignty. It also highlights the difficult-to-reconcile relationship between operational effectiveness and the symbolic dimension of actions, and between the need to provide security and the duty to respect individual rights. Seen in this light, EU-Patrols should be regarded not only as a practical tool but also as a mechanism for testing the limits and possibilities of EU cooperation in the field of internal security.

Author: Justyna Smoleń