ATLAS Network

ATLAS was initially informally established for information exchange and training activities co-operation between units and was later formalised by a Council decision in 2008 that also expanded ATLAS functions to include provision of assistance upon request to another Member State.[1][2][3]

In 2018, an ATLAS Support Office was established in EUROPOL's European Counter Terrorism Centre (ECTC), therefore strengthening the role of the ATLAS Network within the European police organisations.[4]

ATLAS uses the terms special intervention unit and crisis situation defined as:-

• 'Special intervention unit' is any law enforcement unit of a Member State which is specialised in the control of a crisis situation;[1]
• 'Crisis situation' is any situation in which the competent authorities of a Member State have reasonable grounds to believe that there is a criminal offence presenting a serious direct physical threat to persons, property, infrastructure or institutions in that Member State in particular situations combating terrorism.[1]

ATLAS recognises that a Member State may not have the means, resources or expertise to deal effectively with all crisis situations, in particular large crisis situations, and provides a framework for a Member State to request assistance from another member State.[1]

ATLAS consists of 38 special intervention units including units from non-EU Member States Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and the United Kingdom.[5][6] The non-EU Member States can participate, including the use of all facilities, but have no voting rights.[7]

Country	Unit	Part of	Notes
Austria	EKO Cobra[5][6] Einsatzkommando Cobra Task Force Cobra	Federal Ministry of the Interior
Belgium	DSU[5][6] Direction des unités spéciales Directorate of Special Units	Federal Police
Bulgaria	SOBT[5][6] Специализиран отряд за борба с тероризма Special Counter Terrorism Unit	Ministry of Interior
Croatia	ATJ Lučko[5][6] Antiteroristička jedinica Lučko Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit	Croatian Police
Cyprus	EAO[5][6] Mechanokiniti Monada Amesis Drasis Emergency Response Unit	Cyprus Police
Czech Republic	URNA[5][6] Útvar rychlého nasazení Rapid Response Unit	Police of the Czech Republic
Denmark	AKS[5][6] Politiets Aktionsstyrke Special Intervention Unit	Danish National Police
Estonia	K-Komando[5][6] Counter Terrorism Unit	Police and Border Guard Board
Finland	Karhu[5][6] Helsingin poliisilaitos Valmiusyksikkö Police Special Intervention Unit	Helsinki Police Department
France	GIGN[5][6] Groupe d'intervention de la Gendarmerie nationale National Gendarmerie Intervention Group	National Gendarmerie
France	RAID[5][6] Recherche, Assistance, Intervention, Dissuasion Research, Assistance, Intervention, Deterrence	National Police
Germany	GSG 9[5][6] Grenzschutzgruppe 9 der Bundespolizei Border Protection Group 9 of the Federal Police	Federal Police
Germany	SEK[5][6] Spezialeinsatzkommando Special Task Force	State Police	SEK Baden-Württemberg representing the SEKs of the various State Police forces
Greece	EKAM[5][6] Eidiki Katastaltiki Antitromokratiki Monada Special Suppressive Antiterrorist Unit	Hellenic Police
Hungary	TEK[5][6] Terrorelhárítási Központ Counter Terrorism Centre	Ministry of Interior
Iceland	Viking[5][6] Sérsveit ríkislögreglustjóra Special Unit of the National Police Commissioner	Icelandic Police	Non-EU participant
Ireland	ERU[5][6] Aonad Práinnfhreagartha Emergency Response Unit	Garda Síochána
Italy	GIS[5][6] Gruppo di Intervento Speciale Special Intervention Group	Carabinieri
Italy	NOCS[5][6] Gruppo di Intervento Speciale Central Security Task Group	National Police
Latvia	OMEGA[5][6] Pretterorisma vienība Omega Counterterrorism Unit OMEGA	State Police
Lithuania	ARAS[5][6] Antiteroristiniu Operaciju Rinktine ARAS Anti-terrorist Operations Unit ARAS	Lithuanian Police Force
Luxembourg	USP[5][6] Unité Spéciale de la Police Police Special Unit	Grand Ducal Police
Malta	SIU[5][6] Special Intervention Unit	Malta Police Force
Netherlands	DSI[6] Dienst Speciale Interventies Special Intervention Service	National Police Corps
Norway	Delta[5][6] Politiet Beredskapstroppen Emergency Unit DELTA	Norwegian Police Service	Non-EU participant
Poland	BOA[5][6] Centralny Pododdział Kontrterrorystyczny Policji Central Counter-terrorism Police Subunit	Polish Police
Portugal	GIOE[5][6] Grupo de Intervenção de Operações Especiais Special Operations Intervention Group	National Republican Guard
Portugal	GOE[5][6] Grupo de Operações Especiais Special Operations Group	Public Security Police
Romania	BSIJ[5][6] Brigada Specială de Intervenție a Jandarmeriei Gendarmerie Special Intervention Brigade	Romanian Gendarmerie
Romania	SIAS[5][6] Serviciul de Intervenții și Acțiuni Speciale Special Actions and Intervention Service	Romanian Police
Slovakia	Lynx Commando[5][6] Útvar osobitného určenia Special Operations Unit - Lynx Commando	Ministry of the Interior
Slovenia	Red Panther[5][6] Specialna Enota Policije Special Police Unit	Slovenian National Police Force
Spain	UEI[5][6] Unidad Especial de Intervención Special Intervention Unit	Civil Guard
Spain	GEO[5][6] Grupo Especial de Operaciones Special Operations Group	National Police Corps
Sweden	NI[5][6] Nationella insatsstyrkan National Task Force	Swedish Police Authority
Switzerland	SWISS SIU[5][6] Swiss Special Intervention Units	Cantonal police	Non-EU participant
United Kingdom	SCO19[5][6] Specialist Firearms Command 19	Metropolitan Police	Non-EU participant
United Kingdom	HMSU[5][6][8] Headquarters Mobile Support Unit	Police Service of Northern Ireland	Non-EU participant

• List of police tactical units
• Europol
• Club de Berne, the equivalent for intelligence services

• Foreign Affairs magazine: Together to Protect: Europol’s ATLAS Network and the Future of European Security
• Austrian Ministry of the Interior: ATLAS-Verbund: Vernetzung gegen Terror