Europol
Not to be confused with EUPOL.
The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement
Cooperation (commonly abbreviated Europol), for-
merly known as the European Police Oce, is the law
enforcement agency of the European Union (EU) that
handles criminal intelligence and combating serious in-
ternational organised crime by means of cooperation be-
tween the relevant authorities of the member states, in-
cluding those tasked with customs, immigration services,
border and nancial police etc. Headquartered in The
Hague, the agency has 912 sta, of which there are reg-
ular police ocers and 185 liaison ocers[3] as well as
personnel seconded from national law enforcement or-
ganisations. The rst building in The Hague used to house Europol
The agency has no executive powers, and its ocials
are not entitled to conduct investigations in the member
states or to arrest suspects. Europol, in providing sup-
port through information exchange, intelligence analysis,
expertise, and training, can contribute to the executive
measures carried out by the relevant national authorities.
1 History
Europol has its origins in TREVI, a forum for internal se-
curity cooperation amongst EEC/EC interior and justice
ministers created in 1975 and active until the Maastricht
Treaty came into eect in 1993.
Germany, with its federal organisation of police forces,
had long been in favour of a supranational police organ-
isation at EC level. It tabled a surprise proposal to es-
tablish a European Police Oce to the European Coun-
cil meeting in Luxembourg in June 1991. By that De-
cember, the Intergovernmental Conference was coming
to an end and the member states had pledged themselves
to establishing Europol through Article K.1(9) of the
Maastricht Treaty. Europol was given the modest role
of establishing a Union-wide system for exchanging in-
formation amongst EU police forces.
Delays in ratifying the Maastricht Treaty led to TREVI
ministers agreeing a Ministerial Agreement on the Eu-
ropol Drugs Unit in June 1993. This intergovernmental
agreement, outside of EU law, led to the establishment of
a small team headed by Jrgen Storbeck, a senior German
police ocer who initially operated from some tempo-
rary cabins in a Strasbourg suburb (shared with personnel
of the Schengen Information System) while more perma-
1
nent arrangements were made.
Once the Maastricht Treaty had come into eect, the
slow process of negotiating and ratifying a Europol Con-
vention began. In the meantime, the Europol Drugs
Unit (EDU) had its powers extended twice, in March
1995 and again in December 1996 to include a range of
tracking oences in its remit. During this period, infor-
mation amongst ocers could only be exchanged bilater-
ally, with a central database to be established once the Eu-
ropol Convention was ratied. The Europol Convention
nally came into eect in October 1998 after ratication
by all 15 EU national parliaments though some outstand-
ing legal issues (primarily data protection supervision and
judicial supervision) ensured it could not formally take up
duties until July 1999.[4]
The Europol Convention was superseded by the Coun-
cil Decision of 6 April 2009 establishing the European
Police Oce (Europol), converting Europol into a for-
mal EU agency as well as increasing some of its powers.
The European Parliament was given more control over
Europol by the Council Decision as well.
The establishment of Europol was agreed to in the 1992
Maastricht Treaty, ocially known as the Treaty on Eu-
ropean Union (TEU) that came into eect in November
1993. The agency started limited operations on 3 Jan-
uary 1994, as the Europol Drugs Unit (EDU). The Eu-
ropol Convention was signed on 26 July 1995, and came
into force in October 1998 after being ratied by all the
member states.[5] Europol commenced its full activities
on 1 July 1999. Europol came under the EUs com-
petence with the Lisbon Treaty,[6] and the Convention
was replaced by a Council Decision in 2009.[7] It was re-
2 3 COOPERATION WITH THIRD COUNTRIES AND OTHER BODIES

formed as a full EU agency on 1 January 2010. This gave

The European Ombudsman, while not given a formal role
Europol increased powers to collect criminal information
in the Europol Convention, seems to have gained de facto
and European Parliament more control over Europol ac- recognition as an arbitrator in Europol matters relating to
tivities and budget.[8] requests for access to documents and Europol sta dis-
In January 1, 2016 Europols European Counter Terror- putes.
ism Centre (ECTC) became operational.

2.1 Cybercrime
2 Authorities Main article: European Cybercrime Centre

Three dierent levels of co-operation are possible:

1. Training and technical co-operation
2. Strategic co-operation aimed at exchanging general
trends in organised crime and how to ght it and the
exchange of threat assessments
3. Exchange of personal data and requires the full-
ment of Europols standards in the eld of data pro-
tection and security
On 11 January 2013, Director Wainwright and Euro-
pean Commissioner for Home Aairs Cecilia Malm-
strm, launched the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3),
which is aiming to tackle those cyber-crimes:
Committed by organised groups to generate large
criminal prots such as online fraud
Causing serious harm to the victim such as online
child sexual exploitation

The Directorate of Europol is appointed by the Council Aecting critical infrastructure and information sys-
of the European Union (Ministers for Justice and Home tems in the E.U.
Aairs). As of August 2015 it consists of Director
Rob Wainwright and Deputy Directors Wil van Gemert, The European Cybercrime Centre (EC3 or EC) is an
Oldrich Martinu and Luis de Eusebio Ramos.[9] organisation of the European Union attached to Eu-
Europol is politically accountable to the Justice and Home ropol in The Hague. The purpose of the centre is
Aairs Council via the Europol Management Board. The to coordinate cross-border law enforcement activities
Council controls the appointment of Europols Director against cybercrime and act as a centre of technological
and Deputy Directors. It also controls Europols bud- expertise.[11][12] It will start with ve experts, expand-
get, nanced from member state contributions, rather ing to a sta of 40 in 2013, but was not expected to
than the EU budget and any legislative instruments it be fully functional till 2015.[13] It was ocially opened
deems necessary for Europol. The Europol Manage- on 11 January 2013. It is tasked with assisting mem-
ment Board is staed with Interior Ministry ocials ber states in their eorts to dismantle and disrupt cyber
with one representative from every participating member crime networks and will also develop tools and provide
state. It meets at least twice per year and exercises po- training.[14] The europol cybercrime centre does not take
litical control over more routine stang and budgetary reports from the public, rather, reports are referred by
matters, amongst other things. The Joint Supervisory law-enforcement authorities of member states.
Body oversees data protection in Europol and has two
representatives from each participating states data pro-
tection supervisory body. On 25 January 2016 Europol
launched European Counter Terrorism Centre, abbrevi-
3 Cooperation with third countries
ated as ECTC to counter growing threat of ISIS and other and other bodies
terror groups.[10]
Financial supervision over Europol is aided by a com- The Director of Europol is able to enter into agree-
mittee of auditors drawn from the membership of the ments for Europol with both countries and internal
European Court of Auditors and known as the Joint Au- organizations. Europol cooperates on an operational
dit Committee. The Joint Audit Committee is not tech- basis with: Albania, Australia, Canada, Colombia,
nically part of the European Court of Auditors as the Eu- Iceland, Liechtenstein, Republic of Macedonia, Monaco,
ropol budget is not part of the overall EU budget. This un- Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Switzerland, the United
usual arrangement preserves the intergovernmental char- States and Interpol.[15]
acter of Europol. It has strategic agreements with: Bosnia and Herzegov-
The European Court of Justice has minimal jurisdiction ina, Moldova, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine, Georgia, United
over Europol with its remit extending only to limited in- Nations Oce on Drugs and Crime and the World Cus-
terpretation of the Europol Convention. toms Organization.[15]
 3

4 See also [14] Ashford, Warwick (11 January 2013). European Cy-
bercrime Centre opens in The Hague. Computer-
Weekly.com. Computer Weekly. Retrieved 2013-01-13.
Area of freedom, security and justice
[15] External Cooperation. Europol. Retrieved 25 May
CEPOL 2015.
Eurodac

European Gendarmerie Force 6 External links

EC3
Ocial Website of Europol
Frontex
Final Design for new Europol Headquarters The
Interpol Hague. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28.

TREVI Europol convention (main legal instrument until

2010)
Visa Information System
Council Decision of 6 April 2009 establishing the
European Police Oce (Europol) (governing coun-
cil decision)
5 References
[1] Sta Statistics. Europol. Retrieved 2016-05-19.

[2] Budget 2016. Europol. Retrieved 2016-05-19.

[3] Sta Statistics. Europol. Retrieved 2015-11-14.

[4] Agreement details. Council of the European Union.

Retrieved 22 November 2015.

[5] Convention drawn up on the basis of Article K.3 of

Treaty on European Union, on the establishment of a Eu-
ropean Police Oce (Europol Convention)". Council of
the European Union. Retrieved 2014-11-06.

[6] Europol (European Police Oce)". European Union.

Retrieved 2014-11-06.

[7] COUNCIL DECISION of 6 April 2009 establishing the

European Police Oce (Europol)". Ocial Journal of the
European Union. L (121). 2009-05-15. Retrieved 2014-
11-06.

[8] A Stronger Europol. Europol. 2010. Retrieved 2010-

09-06.

[9] Organisational structure. Europol. Retrieved 1 August

2015.

[10] European Union launches European Counter Terrorism

Centre. The Register. Retrieved 25 January 2016.

[11] European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) opens on 11 Jan-

uary (Press release). European Commission. 2013-01-
09. Retrieved 2013-01-13.

[12] EC, a European response to cybercrime [speech by Ce-

cilia Malmstrm, EU Commissioner for Home Aairs]"
(Press release). European Commission. 2013-01-11. Re-
trieved 2013-01-13.

[13] EU cybercrime centre launched by Commissioner Malm-

strm (with video of speech)". BBC. 9 January 2013. Re-
trieved 2013-01-13.
4 7 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

7 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

7.1 Text
Europol Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Europol?oldid=778357284 Contributors: Mav, Patrick, Kaihsu, Hajor, Huangdi, Donar-
reiskoer, Robbot, Altenmann, Merovingian, DocWatson42, Everyking, Necrothesp, Aris Katsaris, Jumbuck, Duman~enwiki, Joolz,
Ronline, Saga City, Knowledge Seeker, Danhash, Ilse@, Kober, Nightstallion, Zachler, Stefan Ivanovich, Apokrif, Maartenvdbent,
Philodox-ohki, Mandarax, BD2412, Koavf, Vegaswikian, Dolphonia, FlaBot, No Swan So Fine, Chobot, YurikBot, RobotE, Briaboru,
Juansmith, Chensiyuan, Gaius Cornelius, Los688, Fabhcn, DarkFireTaker, Rudykog, Danlaycock, Ormondroyd, The Spith, Mendicott,
BorgQueen, Sardanaphalus, SmackBot, Estoy Aqu, TobyK, Sanantonioguy, Mauls, Cattus, OrphanBot, Fuhghettaboutit, Abmac, BiggK-
well, JLogan, BrownHairedGirl, Euchiasmus, SpyMagician, JHunterJ, AussieDingo1983, Aarktica, Arctic-Editor, David Legrand, Pudeo,
Thomas81, Ninetyone, Oden, Future Perfect at Sunrise, Meno25, Aldis90, Thijs!bot, Marek69, Dawnseeker2000, ThomasPusch, Eleuther,
Glentamara, JAnDbot, Xhienne, Smith Jones, .anacondabot, Mclay1, Yotwen, Sinigagl, CommonsDelinker, Iijjccoo, Ssolbergj, Terrek,
Gem-fanat, Paris1127, Ajfweb, VolkovBot, Aesopos, Domitius, BotMultichill, Digwuren, Lightmouse, Int21h, Fratrep, OKBot, Kjtobo,
Kobayashimaru13, Nnemo, Suradnik13, Ktr101, Alexbot, Estirabot, L.tak, Sallicio, DumZiBoT, Pee Tern, MystBot, Good Olfactory, Ad-
dbot, Dick.ellershaw, West.andrew.g, Kasjanek21, Aviados, Yobot, Torsch, AnomieBOT, Auranor, LilHelpa, Xqbot, Wjkcarlson, Shim-
rodmimir, Leshaussebons, FrescoBot, Jonesey95, Fireg8, Whatever2009, TobeBot, Lotje, Vrenator, Wipedor, TheBearPaw, MAXXX-
309, Dolescum, Wikipelli, Jasonanaggie, Barzdonas, Mord287, Pikachu1, Prioryman, Ivana gj, Frietjes, Vagobot, Poleis, Orjananderberg,
Whym, YFdyh-bot, SD5bot, The Mantle, Kittykatzcutay, RaphaelQS, Crispulop, Kirill2485, Ved548, Cat unl, Tamawashi, KBH96, Narky
Blert, Frederico07, Niclas Moeslund Overby, Aromagamma and Anonymous: 91

7.2 Images
File:Commons-logo.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg License: PD Contributors: ? Origi-
nal artist: ?
File:DenHaag-Europol03.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/DenHaag-Europol03.JPG License: CC-
BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims). Original artist: No
machine-readable author provided. Dr. Meierhofer~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims).
File:Flag_of_Europe.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Flag_of_Europe.svg License: Public domain
Contributors:
File based on the specication given at [1]. Original artist: User:Verdy p, User:-x-, User:Paddu, User:Nightstallion, User:Funakoshi,
User:Jeltz, User:Dbenbenn, User:Zscout370

7.3 Content license

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