Page contentsPage contents Europol supports Member States in countering serious crime and terrorism.Europol’s specialised systems offer fast and secure capabilities for acquiring, storing, searching, visualising and linking criminal information. More than 3 000 law enforcement authorities are now connected to Europol’s secure information exchange channel, known as SIENA (‘Secure Information Exchange Network Application’).Directive on the exchange of information requests that all competent law enforcement authorities that might be involved in exchanges of information should be directly connected to SIENA. The Europol Information System is Europol’s main reference system that is in place to support Member States, Europol and its partners in their fight against organised crime, terrorism, and other forms of serious crime. It contains 1.6 million objects.Europol provides technical, analytical and operational support, notably by deploying analysts and specialists on the ground in agreement with EU Member States. for ongoing operations in Member States. Europol and its five operational centres (Operational and Analysis Centre, European Serious and Organised Crime Centre, European Cyber Crime Centre, European Counter Terrorism Centre, European Financial and Economic Crime Centre) supported 3 155 operations in 2023.As the EU focal point for expertise, tactics and analysis used during law enforcement operations, Europol has established a dedicated Innovation Lab to support the law enforcement community in innovation. External dimension In line with its legal mandate, Europol can conclude working arrangements with third-country partners, which enable structured cooperation, while governing the practical aspects of exchanging non-personal data and regulating all other elements of their cooperation.Since the entry into application of Europol Regulation on 1 May 2017, the competence to conclude international agreements enabling the exchange of personal data between Europol and third countries has been transferred from Europol to the Union.The first Agreement of this kind, with New Zealand, entered into application on 15 August 2024. The Commission has also received the authorisation from the Council of the EU to negotiate similar agreements with Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru (in 2023) and with Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Türkiye (in 2018). The agreement with Brazil was signed in March 2025 and the process for its conclusion is ongoing. Negotiations with Ecuador were finalised in March 2025 as well and proposals to sign and conclude this Agreement were adopted on 22 May 2025. Strengthening Europol’s mandate In June 2022, the revised Europol Regulation entered into force. It strengthened Europol’s mandate to better support national law enforcement authorities with a solid legal basis for the processing of large and complex datasets, innovation, and cooperation with private parties.It also introduced a new type of alert in the Schengen Information System (SIS) to be entered by Member States upon the proposal of Europol, based on information from third countries and international organisations. It also allows Europol to propose the opening of a national investigation into a specific crime that covers a common interest covered by a Union policy. Europol’s new mandate comes with increased safeguards. It strengthens both the external and internal supervision of Europol, with reinforced powers of the European Data Protection Supervisor and the establishment of the Fundamental Rights Officer as well as parliamentary oversight and accountability, by reinforcing the role of the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group of the European Parliament.In line with President von der Leyen’s Political Guidelines and the Mission Letter of Commissioner Brunner, the Commission will explore how to further strengthen Europol’s mandate and role, responding to a security context marked by increasingly complex and transnational crime.
