The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) relies on cooperation with a multitude of partners to efficiently facilitate international police cooperation.
These relations are formalised in various legal instruments such as cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding.
INTERPOL has agreements with a number of international organizations such as the United Nations, EUROPOL, Commonwealth of Independent States, International Criminal Court, African Union, Organization of American States, and the Arab Interior Ministers’ Council.
How are agreements developed?
Cooperation agreements are developed through mutual negotiation between INTERPOL and another party. The terms of an agreement will vary depending on the scope of cooperation established, and may include:
- Information exchange.
- Mutual investigative projects.
- Database access.
- Reciprocal representation.
- Technical assistance.
Agreements may be amended or replaced as needed, and when agreed to by both parties.
Categories of cooperation agreements
INTERPOL has cooperation agreements with the United Nations and related organisations, global international organisations, regional international organisations, national governments and public authorities, and private entities.
United Nations and related organisations
INTERPOL has cooperation agreements with the United Nations (U.N.) and related organisations including:
- An agreement that covers INTERPOL’s general cooperation with the U.N.
- Supplementary agreements covering INTERPOL’s cooperation with specific divisions of the U.N., or in relation to specific activities.
- Agreements concerning other related organisations.
The agreements include:
| United Nations (UN) | Arrangement on cooperation between INTERPOL and the United Nations in relation to joint activities with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UN) | Investigations Section of the Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) | United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) |
| Supplementary Arrangement in relation to the United Nations Security Council Sanction Committees (UN) | Supplementary Arrangement in relation to the activities of Peacekeeping Operations and Special Political Missions (UN) | Supplementary Arrangement in relation to direct access by United Nations Department of Safety and Security to the INTERPOL information system (UN) | Universal Postal Union (UPU) |
| United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) | International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) | Special Arrangement on the Iraqi Cultural Heritage (UNESCO) | World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) |
| International Maritime Organization (IMO) | Integrity Vice Presidency of the World Bank Group | Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) | Secretariat of the Basel Convention |
| Office of Audit and Investigations of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) | Residual Special Court for Sierra Leona (RSCSL) | Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) | International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) |
Global international organisations
INTERPOL has cooperation agreements with global international organisations including:
| International Organization for Migration (IOM) | World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) | International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) | Additional Protocol regarding an INTERPOL Permanent Platform for Disaster Victim Identification (ICMP) |
| Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC-OTP) | International Council of Museums (ICOM) | International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) | World Customs Organization (WCO) |
| Special Arrangement with the World Customs Organization (WCO) on direct access to and use of INTERPOL’s Stolen Motor Vehicle Database |
Regional international organisations
INTERPOL’s cooperation agreements with regional international organisations include:
| The Southern African Development Community (SADC) | Anti-Terrorism Center of the Commonwealth of Independent States (ATC-CIS) | Organization for the Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) | Commission of the African Union |
| Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF) | Regional Center on small Arms in the Great Lakes Region, the Horn of Africa and Bordering States (RECSA) | Southern African Development Community (SADC) | Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) |
| Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa (EMCCA) | General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) | Comunidad andina | Commission of the Chiefs of Police of Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean |
| Caribbean Community (CARICOM) | Caribbean Customs Law Enforcement Council (CCLEC) | Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery Against Ships in Asia – Information Sharing Center (ReCAAP-ISC) | Regional Security System (RSS) |
| Executive Committee of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO-RATS) | Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Centre for Combating Illicit Trafficking of Narcotic Drugs, Psychotropic Substances and their Precursors (CARICC) | Le secrétariat general du Conseil de l’Europe | European Central Bank (ECB) |
| European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) | European Agency for the Management of Operational Cooperation at the External Borders of the Member States of the European Union (FRONTEX) | European Police Office (EUROPOL) | Joint initiative on combating the counterfeiting of currency, in particular the EURO (EUROPOL) |
| MoU on the establishment of a secure communication line (EUROPOL) | European Police College (CEPOL) | Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre – Narcotics (MAOC-N) | General Secretariat of the Arab Interior Ministers’ Council (AMIC) |
| East African Community (EAC) | European Union’s Judicial Cooperation Unit (EUROJUST) | Conference of Ministers of Justice of Iberico-America Countries (COMJIB) |
National Governments and public authorities
INTERPOL’s cooperation agreements with National Governments and public authorities include:
| University of Southern Mississippi National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security – NCS4 | The Commonwealth of Australia | Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Institute of Law Enforcement Studies and Training (KI 3) |
| Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Police (ENSP) | Ministry of the Interior of the Italian Republic | Health Sciences Authority of Singapore (HSA) | Naif Arab University for Security Sciences (NAUSS) |
| Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) | Quality Brand Protection Committee China Association of Enterprises with Foreign Investment (QBPC) | Emirates Intellectual Property Association (EIPA) |
Private entities
INTERPOL has cooperation agreements with private entities such as NGOs, associations, foundations, academies, and business companies. These agreements include:
| Small Arms Survey | International Association of Internet Hotlines (INHOPE) | International Multilateral Partnership Against Cyber Threats (IMPACT) | International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) |
| Underwriters Laboratories Inc. – Training Agreement | Institut international de recherche, de documentation et de formation pour la prévention et la lutte contre la falsification des produits de santé |
Key takeaways
INTERPOL has cooperation agreements with the United Nations and related organisations, global international organisations, regional international organisations, national governments and public authorities, and private entities. The cooperation fostered through these agreements allows INTERPOL to effectively facilitate international police cooperation and make the world a safer place.
