Overview of the National Preventive Mechanism a second training unit. Thanks to the technical support of the IT companies Cisco and X-tention, the meetings were followed in the training room, and the observations shared with the members of the commissions in the ensuing questions and answers discussions. D-A-CH (GermanyAustria-Switzerland) Network meeting The NPMs from the German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria and Switzerland) have been meeting to share their experience and ideas every year since 2014. The 2017 meeting was held in Berlin (Germany) and focused on the topic of the police. The work of the NPM in connection with forced returns and detention pending forced return, police detention, police complaints and investigations offices, as well as major police operations were presented and discussed. The details showed that in spite of a similar starting situation the resulting problems can often be very different. Having said that, many similarities between the NPMs were observed during the discussions as well. Bulgarian delegation inform themselves about return processes A Bulgarian delegation consisting of representatives of the NGO Centre for the Study of Democracy und Cooperation for Voluntary Service and of the Bulgarian Federal Ministry of the Interior visited the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior, the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum, the Association of Human Rights Austria (Verein Menschenrechte Österreich) and the AOB on the topic of “Monitoring Returns”. The AOB presented its work as NPM and reported on its experience in monitoring the complete return process from the initial contact to the return to the country of origin. Work is currently being carried out in Bulgaria on standards for monitoring forced returns. Visit by the Hungarian Ombudsman institution The bilateral cooperation with the Hungarian ombudsman institution was further strengthened by a visit by the Fundamental Rights Commissioner László Székely. He informed himself about the experience of the AOB in implementing the OPCAT and the preparation and execution of visits to places where persons are deprived of their liberty within the framework of the OPCAT mandate. The visits created incentives for further collaboration as well as broadening the cooperation. On a follow-up visit, the experts from the AOB were able to accompany their Hungarian colleagues on a visit to a correctional institution in Sopron (Hungary) and see how the Hungarian NPM works on-site. Armenian delegation study trip The AOB also welcomed a large delegation consisting of representatives of the Armenian NPM, the judiciary and different NGOs to a meeting for the purpose of exchanging experience that lasted several days. Armenia ratified the OPCAT in 2006; here too the ombudsman institution was entrusted with the NPM mandate. The Armenian Parliament is currently examining a constitutional amendment for improving the NPM mandate. This is aimed at securing adequate financial resources and strengthening the work of the NPM. The delegation showed great interest, in particular in the cooperation between the members of the commissions, the AOB and Human Rights Advisory Council. 20