Make Europol stronger to crack down on organised crime and terrorism

"Criminal networks operate across borders. Law enforcement must be able to do the same. Europol needs to be significantly strengthened so it can become truly operational, more efficient, and better equipped to support Member States in fighting organised crime and terrorism," said Tomas Tobé MEP, EPP Group Vice-Chair, ahead of today’s presentation of the European Commission’s Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Package.

"The epidemic of cross-border organised crime is a threat to our Union and its citizens, destroying lives and fuelling violence, fear, and instability. It is no longer local or even national; it is a multi-billion-euro criminal industry exploiting freedom of movement across the Union. If Europol is not fully operational and better equipped, criminals will be a step ahead of law enforcement. We cannot fight today’s criminal networks with yesterday’s tools," stated Tobé.

The EPP Group has long pushed for a stronger Europol with a clearer operational role in complex cross-border investigations. We call for making full use of Europol's potential in a changing criminal landscape, including expanding its mandate to cover hybrid threats such as sabotage against critical infrastructure, and the creation of a European Cyber-Brigade coordinated by the Agency to tackle cybercrime and hybrid attacks.

"Europol must become Europe’s operational security backbone," said Lena Düpont MEP, EPP Group Spokesperson on Home Affairs. "That means stronger powers in cross-border investigations, a broader mandate to address emerging threats, better information sharing, and more staff and resources to deliver real operational impact."