European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol)

 

SUMMARY OF:

Regulation (EU) 2016/794 on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol)

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE REGULATION?

• It sets up the rules for Europol, including a system by which the European Parliament, together with national parliaments, can politically monitor Europol’s activities. In addition, it adapts Europol’s external relations to the rules of the Lisbon Treaty.
• The regulation aligns the current Council decision on Europol with the rules of the Lisbon Treaty.

KEY POINTS

Objectives

Europol’s objectives are to support and strengthen:

• action by authorities in the European Union (EU) countries;
• mutual cooperation amongst EU countries in preventing and combating terrorism, serious crime affecting two or more EU countries and forms of crime which affect a common interest covered by EU policy.

Tasks

The regulation sets out a number of specific tasks in order to meet those objectives including:

• collecting, storing, processing, analysing and exchanging information including criminal intelligence;
• notifying EU countries, via Europol national units, without delay, of any information and connection between criminal offences concerning them;
• coordinating, organising and implementing investigative and operational actions to support and strengthen actions by EU countries’ authorities;
• preparing threat assessments, strategic and operational analyses and general situation reports;
• participating in joint investigation teams;
• developing EU centres of specialised expertise for combating certain types of crime, for example the European Cybercrime Centre;
• supporting EU countries in combating crime enabled, promoted or committed using the internet.

Scrutiny

Europol’s powers are accompanied by data protection safeguards and parliamentary scrutiny:

• The European Data Protection Supervisor monitors Europol’s processing of personal data and there will be a clear procedure for citizens to address requests under EU law.
• Europol’s work is overseen by a Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group, with members from both national parliaments and the European Parliament.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It applies from 1 May 2017 except for Articles 71 (legal agreements and contracts concluded under Decision 2009/371), 72 (transitional arrangements concerning the management board) and 73 (transitional arrangements concerning staff) which apply from 13 June 2016.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

• ‘About Europol’ on Europol's website.
• Communication from the Commission COVID-19 Guidance on the implementation of the temporary restriction on non-essential travel to the EU, on the facilitation of transit arrangements for the repatriation of EU citizens, and on the effects on visa policy

MAIN DOCUMENT

Regulation (EU) 2016/794 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and replacing and repealing Council Decisions 2009/371/JHA, 2009/934/JHA, 2009/935/JHA, 2009/936/JHA and 2009/968/JHA (OJ L 135, 24.5.2016, pp. 53-114)

RELATED DOCUMENTS

Council Framework Decision 2002/465/JHA of 13 June 2002 on joint investigation teams (OJ L 162, 20.6.2002, pp. 1-3)

Council Decision 2009/371/JHA of 6 April 2009 establishing the European Police Office (Europol) (OJ L 121, 15.5.2009, pp. 37-66)

last update 04.05.2020