EU strengthens Europol in the fight against smuggling gangs
Brussels (dpa) – The EU will equip Europol with more money, personnel, and powers in the fight against smuggling gangs. Representatives of the EU Parliament and the member states reached an agreement to expand the Anti-Smuggling Center EMSC, as announced by the EU Commission. According to this, liaison officers from the EU judicial authority Eurojust and the EU border protection agency Frontex will also be part of it in the future.
Europol will receive 50 new employees and an additional financial support of 50 million euros for the fight against smugglers, according to the announcement. Of this, 20 million will be used for the improved processing of biometric data, such as fingerprints or facial images. The new commitments also stipulate that member states must share more information with Europol and other countries.
Europol currently has 1,400 employees. The EU agency based in The Hague, Netherlands, is supposed to help member states combat international and organized crime, cybercrime, and terrorism.
Agreement still needs to be formally confirmed
Europol plays a crucial role in supporting the national law enforcement and judicial authorities of the member states in dismantling the business models of smugglers and internationally operating criminal networks, the announcement stated. EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner praised the agreement. “We must decide for ourselves who comes into the EU, not the smugglers,” said the Austrian politician.
The EU Commission proposed the regulation to strengthen Europol in November 2023. The agreement still needs to be formally confirmed by the European Parliament and the member states in the Council. (September 25)
