The ATLAS Network is made up of law enforcement special intervention units of the EU Member States and associated countries. Together, these elite units stand ready 24/7 to respond to crisis situations affecting European security.
Since November 2018, the ATLAS Support Office has been based at Europol’s headquarters, hosted within the European Counter Terrorism Centre. This ensures that the ATLAS network is both continuously supported internally and directly connected to other relevant law enforcement networks and EU agencies. Europol provides financial and material support to the dozens of exercises conducted annually by the network.
Who is in the ATLAS Network?
The following special intervention units are members of the ATLAS Network:
- Austria – Einsatzkommando Cobra/DSE, EKO Cobra
- Belgium - Directie van de Speciale Eenheden, DSU
- Bulgaria – Specialised Counter Terrorism Unit, SOBT
- Croatia - Specijalna Policija MUP RH, ATU Lucko
- Cyprus - Special Antiterrorist Squad, EAO
- Czech Republic - Útvar Rychlého Nasazení, URNA
- Denmark - Politiets Aktionsstyrken, AKS
- Estonia – Counter Terrorism Unit, K-Komando
- Finland - Helsingin poliisilaitos Valmiusyksikkö, KARHU
- France - Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale, GIGN
- France - Police Nationale; Recherche, Assistance, Intervention, Dissuasion, RAID
- Germany - GSG 9 der Bundespolizei, GSG9
- Germany - Spezialeinsatzkommando der Polizei Baden-Württemberg, SEK BW
- Greece - Eidiki Katastaltiki Antitromokratiki Monada, EKAM
- Hungary - Terrorelhárítási Központ, TEK
- Iceland - Sérsveit ríkislögreglustjóra, VIKING
- Ireland - Garda Emergency Response Unit, ERU
- Italy - Carabinieri; Gruppo Intervento Speciale, GIS
- Italy - Polizia di Stato; Nucleo Operativo Centrale di Sicurezza, NOCS
- Latvia - Pretterorisma Vienība, OMEGA
- Lithuania - Antiteroristiniu Operaciju Rinktine, ARAS
- Luxembourg - Police Grand-Ducale; Unité Spéciale, USP
- Malta - Pulizija; Special Intervention Unit, SIU
- Norway - Politiet Beredskapstroppen, DELTA
- Poland - Centralny Pododdziału Kontrterrorystycznego Policji, BOA
- Portugal - Grupo de Intervenção de Operações Especiais da Guarda Nacional Republicana, GNR-GIOE
- Portugal - Grupo de Operações Especiais da Polícia de Segurança Pública, GOE
- Romania - Brigada Specială de Intervenție a Jandarmeriei, BSIJ
- Romania - Serviciul de Intervenții și Acțiuni Speciale, SIAS
- Slovak Republic - Slovak Special Counter Terrorism Police Unit, Lynx Commando
- Slovenia - Specialna Enota Policija, Red Panther
- Spain - Policia Nacional; Grupo Especial de Operaciones, GEO
- Spain - Guardia Civil; Unidad Especial de Intervención, UEI
- Sweden - Nationella Insatsstyrkan, NI
- Switzerland - Swiss Special Intervention Units, SWISS SIU
- The Netherlands - Dienst Speciale Interventies, DSI
- United Kingdom - Metropolitan Police Specialist Firearms Command, SCO19
- United Kingdom - Police Service of Northern Ireland; Headquarters Mobile Support Unit, PSNI-HMSU
Training exercises to increase effectiveness
Every year, the ATLAS Network gathers its members for a variety of training exercises. Special intervention units need to be prepared for almost any scenario, so training covers all aspects of emergency response skills. The ATLAS Network conducts several exercises, training sessions and workshops in urban, rural and maritime settings, covering multiple disciplines. This could range from specific firearms training, such as the use of sniper rifles, to competencies such as first aid and negotiation.
The ATLAS Network also engages in large-scale training exercises that see its members responding to an unfolding crisis scenario in real-time. These are multidisciplinary training exercises, often several-days long and with cross-border activities, so that they reflect the challenging work of special intervention units.
One example of this training is Exercise Firestorm, a 4-day exercise that took place in 2023 with the support of units from the European Surveillance Group. The scenario saw special intervention units of the ATLAS Network respond to a fictitious terrorist group as its members travelled through Europe and planned terrorist activities. Find out more about Exercise Firestorm in the official video below: