Europol

The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) is the body in charge of facilitating operations to fight crime within the European Union (EU). This agency institutionalizes judicial cooperation, among whose premises is the opening of national borders as a direct consequence of the free movement of people and progress towards complete European integration, which in matters of internal justice, would culminate in a common action against crime thanks to the creation of a European police force.

The reality of this joint action has borne fruit with the creation of a Schengen Information System, since it facilitates the exchange of information between the different national police forces of the Member States under the control of a national office, Sirene, which controls the validity of the transmitted information.

Composed of 800 people, of which 145 are Europol liaison officers (OEE), Europol is financed by the contribution of the Member States calculated, each year, based on their GDP.

History

On the occasion of the Council act of July 26, 1995, the creation of the European Police Office (Europol agreement) originated. This Europol Convention has undergone several modifications, and the last one dates from November 27, 2003.

Europol was created in the Treaty on European Union (TEU) and formally began its activities as the Europol Drug Unit (EDU) on January 3, 1994. Over time, other tactical areas were added until July 1, 1999, when it adopted its current structure.

The first director was the German Jürgen Storbeck. Likewise, it was headed by the also German Max-Peter Ratzel. Currently, the director is the British Rob Wainwright.

Target

Europol's objective is to improve, within the framework of cooperation between member states (MS), the effectiveness of the corresponding services of said states and the cooperation between them with a view to preventing and combating terrorism, illicit drug trafficking and other serious forms of international crime.

Missions

EU member states created Europol to increase the security of the common area. Europol is an intergovernmental criminal police office that facilitates the exchange of information between national police forces in matters of drugs, terrorism, international crime and pedophilia. In addition, Article 3 of the Convention establishes that Europol's jurisdiction will be extended to money laundering and related offences.

The most important changes that have been carried out with the latest modification are those related to the expansion of powers and the harmonization of concepts. Among Europol's new powers are serious forms of international crime that will be the subject of priority action and the fight against fraud, to the extent that it concerns tax and customs fraud. Also, crimes such as fraud, corruption and counterfeiting of currency and means of payment have been harmonized.

Europol has jurisdiction in the 27 EU States, although all activities it carries out must be carried out in contact and in agreement with the national authority of the MS in which it operates, which will also be in charge of applying the measures coercive as it sees fit.

Achievements

Among other things, police cooperation has allowed 30 people to be interrogated on June 14, 2005 within the framework of a vast cooperation launched in August 2004 through thirteen states against child pornography on the Internet; simultaneous arrest in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and France of eleven people belonging to a group that organized the illegal transport of Iranian clandestine workers who were transiting through the Scandinavian countries towards the United Kingdom and Canada; dismantle a drug trafficking network run by an Italian-based criminal organization made up of Italians, Dutch and South Americans who smuggled cocaine from Latin America into Italy and the Netherlands; launch an investigation into the traffic of stolen vehicles in Spain headed for Germany.

This body dismantled the world's largest pedophile and child pornography ring in March 2011, with 70,000 members in 30 countries and 184 detainees. In addition, 230 minors were placed under the protection of the authorities, which was "the largest number of victims so far protected in the framework of this type of investigation", according to a Europol statement.

Activities

Data exchange: Europol participates in the fight against crime in Europe, contributing to the improvement of cooperation between Europol liaison officers (OEE) distributed near the office by the member states, by the simple and direct transmission of the information necessary for investigations (simplification of investigation processes, reduction of legal or bureaucratic obstacles...). It coordinates and centralizes investigations against criminal organizations with a European or international dimension.

In the framework of the fight against crime (illegal drug trafficking, stolen vehicles, money laundering, trafficking in human beings and terrorism), Europol contributes its powers:

• Common research teams through Europol national units.
• To the operational liaison structure of European police officers (task force), in order to allow the exchange of experiences and practices against cross-border crime.

The judicial cooperation unit (Eurojust) provides its competence in investigations relating to criminal matters, organized in part on the basis of analysis carried out by Europol. This unit is made up of attorneys, magistrates or police officers from the member states who have equivalent powers, depending on each state according to its legal system.

The mission of the European Police College (Cepol) is to train senior officers of the police services of the member states, as well as of the candidate states for accession. Cepol's clear objective is to deepen knowledge of the national systems and structures of the other Europol member states, as well as cross-border cooperation in the EU.

Analysis and report: investigations, information and operational analyzes of a strategic nature are communicated in compliance with national legislation and according to the instructions given to the OEEs by their competent ministries (especially with regard to the protection of personal data).

Europol Computer System (TECS): the Europol convention provides for the installation of a computer system that allows the entry, access and analysis of data. This computerized system is made up of three main elements: an analysis system and an index system, which currently exists, and an information system of which a provisional version has been operational since January 2002. A common control authority composed of Two data protection experts from each state monitor the content and use of all personal data available to Europol.

Technical assistance: Europol investigates criminal networks in member states, sends experts to the field, creates joint investigation teams (police, gendarmes, customs police) and requires national police officers to investigate matters concerning different state. Europol does not have an executive mandate and does not work through the coordination and transmission of information on the control and legal responsibility of the states concerned. For example, it is the police forces of the states that carry out the arrests.

Operation

Europol is linked in each Member State of the European Union to a single national unit that is created or designated based on the functions that are regulated in article 4 of the aforementioned agreement and that are related to the exchange of information of necessary data to make the fight against international crime more effective within the framework of common action.

Following the adoption of the Framework Decision of June 13, 2002, on "joint investigation teams", its members are allowed to participate in the aforementioned teams, as long as the crimes they investigate fall within the yours and there is prior authorization between the director of Europol and the competent authorities of the Member States involved in the investigation.

Europol is accountable to the Council of Ministers for Justice and Home Affairs. The Council of the European Union is in charge of the overall control and guidance of Europol. It is up to him to appoint the director, the deputy directors and adopt the budget.

The Europol Administrative Council, made up of a representative from each state, has the task of controlling the activities of the organization. The director is elected for four-year terms.

Each state designates a special national police unit in charge of relations with Europol and delegates relations officers who participate in information exchange and analysis work.

Headquarters

Staff

The staff stationed at the headquarters in The Hague comes, for the most part, from police forces, customs, and immigration services, and is made up of liaison officers from each member country, by national experts on loan from each member state and by its own staff hired by the institution. In no case do they have the authority to act in any country as members of the institution (anecdotally, it is worth mentioning that they lack police badges and, of course, regulatory weapons). So, today's operational capacity at Europol is already consolidated as an operational support body for investigations undertaken by two or more state parties; This support translates into analytical products, acting as a forum for contact and coordination between EU police officers; It is in this last role that the tool of its operational action comes into play: the joint investigation teams.