Regulation 2022/991 - Amendment of Regulation (EU) 2016/794, as regards Europol’s cooperation with private parties, the processing of personal data by Europol in support of criminal investigations, and Europol’s role in research and innovation - Main contents

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

L 169/1

The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) was established by Regulation (EU) 2016/794 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) to support and strengthen action by the competent authorities of the Member States and their mutual cooperation in preventing and combating serious crime affecting two or more Member States, terrorism and forms of crime which affect a common interest covered by a Union policy.

Europe faces a security landscape in flux, with evolving and increasingly complex security threats. Terrorists and other criminals exploit the digital transformation and new technologies, in particular both the inter-connectivity and the blurring of the boundaries between the physical and the digital world, for example by concealing their crimes and their identities through the use of increasingly sophisticated techniques. Terrorists and other criminals have proven their ability to adapt their modes of operation and to develop new criminal activities in times of crisis, including by leveraging technology-enabled tools to multiply and expand the range and scale of their criminal activities. Terrorism remains a significant threat to the freedom and way of life of Union citizens.

Evolving and complex threats spread across borders, cover a variety of crimes that they facilitate, and manifest themselves in poly-criminal organised crime groups that engage in a wide range of criminal activities. As action at national level and cross-border cooperation do not suffice to address those transnational security threats, competent authorities of the Member States have increasingly made use of the support and expertise that Europol offers to prevent and counter serious crime and terrorism. Since Regulation (EU) 2016/794 became applicable, the operational importance of Europol’s tasks has increased substantially. Furthermore, the new threat environment changes the scope and type of support Member States need and expect from Europol to keep citizens safe.

Additional tasks should therefore be conferred upon Europol by this Regulation to allow Europol to better support competent authorities of the Member States while fully preserving the responsibilities of the Member States in the area of national security laid down in Article 4(2) of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). Europol’s reinforced mandate should be balanced with strengthened safeguards with regard to fundamental rights and increased accountability, liability and oversight, including parliamentary oversight and oversight through the Management Board of Europol (‘the Management Board’). To allow Europol to fulfil its reinforced mandate, it should be provided with adequate human and financial resources to support its additional tasks.

As the Union faces increasing threats from organised crime groups and terrorist attacks, an effective law enforcement response must include the availability of well-trained interoperable special intervention units specialised in the control of man-made crisis situations. In the Union, the special intervention...