Europaudvalget 2019-20, Retsudvalget 2019-20
EUU Alm.del Bilag 897, REU Alm.del Bilag 520
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Europol Public Information
The Hague, 17 July 2020
Management Board
Co-chair to the JPSG (Germany):
MBS 083.2020
Ms Susanne Mittag, Head of the Bundestag Delegation
and Mr Boris Pistorius, Head of the Bundesrat Delegation
Co-chair of the JPSG (Chair
of the European Parliament’s
LIBE Committee):
Mr Juan Fernando López Aguilar
CC:
Mr Oliver Rüß, MB Chairperson
Ms Catherine De Bolle, Executive Director
Written submission to the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group (JPSG)
by the Chairperson of the Europol Management Board (MB)
Replies to follow-up JPSG questions and comments
Dear Ms Mittag and Mr Pistorius,
Dear Mr López Aguilar,
On 19 June 2020, I received the questions and comments addressed by the Cypriot and
Romanian JPSG delegations as well as by Ms Chinnici, Member of the European
Parliament (MEP), as a follow-up to my written submission on the MB activities from
September 2019 to June 2020.
I am pleased to provide the following replies to the aforementioned contributions.
Cypriot JPSG delegation:
-
Taking into consideration Europol’s mandate to combat firearms smuggling and its
experience with supporting EU military operations, but also its activity in combating
human smuggling and trafficking, will Europol have any participation in operation EU
NAVFORMED Irini?
Reply:
As one of its secondary tasks (besides oil smuggling and capacity building and
training of the Libyan coastguards and Navy), EUNAVFOR MED IRINI shall support
the detection and disruption of human smuggling and trafficking networks through
information gathering and patrolling carried out by aerial assets above high seas in
the agreed area of operation. In carrying out this task, EUNAVFOR MED IRINI may
collect and store, in accordance with applicable law, data on human smuggling and
trafficking, including crimes relevant to the security of the operation, which it may
transmit to the relevant law enforcement authorities of the Member States and to the
competent EU agencies and bodies. Europol will therefore continue with cooperation
with EUNAVFOR MED IRINI in the same manner as with EUNAVFOR MED SOPHIA,
namely through the Information Clearing House (ICH), which is operating as part of
the European Migration Smuggling Centre (EMSC) at Europol, benefiting from the
cooperation experience gained with EUNAVFOR MED, next to the longstanding day-
to-day cooperation with the European Border and Coast Guard Agency
(EBCGA)/Frontex and Interpol.
1
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 EUU, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 897: Europols svar på spm. stillet af medlemmer af Europa Parlamentet og nationale parlamenter i JPSG
Europol Public Information
-
In view of a significant shortfall in Europol’s budget compared to the initial estimate,
as well as of unforeseen difficulties that may have arisen, as a result of the pandemic,
what are the initial thoughts of the Management Board regarding deprioritization and
adaptations to the Programming Document 2020-2022, and specifically the Work
Programme 2020, which were adopted?
Reply:
Following its first adoption at end of November 2019, because of the serious financial
and resource shortfall resulting from the finally allocated budget 2020 - a difference
of almost €21 M. and of 42 Temporary Agents (TAs)
-, the Europol Work Programme
2020 was indeed subject to a thorough assessment of the actions to be
(de)prioritised. Given the potential impact of such exercise
on the Agency’s ability to
fulfil its mandate in support to national law enforcement authorities, Europol handled
it in close coordination with the Member States. Hence, between January and mid-
March 2020, both the Heads of the Europol National Units (HENUs) and the MB
Working Groups on Corporate Matters and on Information Management carried out
in-depth reflections on the matter. The MB approved the resulting updated version
of the Work Programme 2020 by a written procedure ending on 25 March, in
replacement of a MB live discussion which had to be cancelled due to the COVID-19
pandemic.
Subsequently, the updated version of the Work Programme 2020 approved by the
MB as part of the Europol Programming Document (PD) 2020-2022 was transmitted
to the relevant EU institutions, as well as to the JPSG with my letter dated 8 April
2020 (MBS 053.2020).
In this context, the MB acknowledged that, given the reduced level of available
resources, it was also necessary to lower the level of ambition of the Work
Programme 2020. Nevertheless, this Work Programme would allow Europol to
continue supporting the Member States in the fight against serious organised crime
in all priority areas and terrorism.
Next to its usual tasks and responsibilities, the Agency continued to plan initiatives
of paramount importance for 2020, including the objectives set out in its Strategy
2020+, such as the setting up of the European Financial and Economic Crime Centre
(EFECC), the reinforcement of criminal analysis and the strengthening
of Europol’s
IM capabilities including in the context of the EU Interoperability Agenda. A complete
list of these 2020 initiatives was included on pages 4-6 of the updated PD 2020-2022.
The possible implications of the COVID-19 pandemic were still largely unknown
during the aforementioned consultation on the Work Programme 2020, thus this
element was not taken into account by the MB when approving the updated PD 2020-
2022.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Agency has succeeded in ensuring business
continuity by putting in place adequate working arrangements, which have allowed
its Staff and the Liaison Bureaux community at Europol to operate safely and
efficiently under such exceptional circumstances. Further, Europol rapidly started to
monitor the impact of the COVID-19
pandemic on criminals’ ability to exploit the new
opportunities emerging
from vulnerable persons’ fear and from increasing funding
recovery opportunities at national and EU level. As a result, Europol has been issuing
targeted reports on COVID-related crime since the end of March, on a regular basis.
In parallel, the Agency has been pursuing its work around the implementation of the
Strategy 2020+ to the extent possible. The official launch of the EFECC on 5 June
2020 is an illustration, amongst other achievements, of the Agency’s relentless
commitment in support to the Security Union.
2
Management Board Secretariat
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The Netherlands
Postbox 90850
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–
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 EUU, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 897: Europols svar på spm. stillet af medlemmer af Europa Parlamentet og nationale parlamenter i JPSG
Europol Public Information
Notwithstanding our Agency’s
continued engagement
throughout this crisis and its
gradual return to ‘a
new
normality’
under the current de-escalation plan, it is indeed
appropriate and advisable to conduct an overall reflection on the impact of the
COVID-19
outbreak on Europol’s planning,
not only as concerns the last months of
2020, but also for following years.
Europol’s
assessment reports on COVID-related
crime developments make clear that
organised crime structures in Europe are adapting quickly to the evolving situation.
Furthermore, it can be expected that organised crime groups will seek profit from the
exceptional financial and investment measures taken at national level, as well as
from the significant EU recovery funds envisaged at EU level to stabilise and further
develop the Member States.
The security of the EU Member States and of their citizens thus remains an area of
vital importance. Therefore, the German Ministry of the Interior has pointed out that
security has to be an integral part of the recovery. Consequently, Europol has to be
provided with a sustainable and increased budget and appropriate staff levels during
the next 2021-2027 financial cycle.
On 24 June 2020, the European Commission published its budget proposal for 2021,
suggesting a budget of €172.9 M for Europol, while keeping the Agency human
resources at current 2020 levels, namely 615 TAs, 71 Seconded National Experts
(SNEs) and 191 Contract Agents (CAs). Although promising, the proposal put forward
by the Commission
does not fully meet Europol’s expectations, as the final draft
estimates adopted by the MB for 2021 foresee
a budget of €184.9 M, next to an
increase by 63 TAs and 22 SNEs compared to 2020, and a conditional decrease in
the number of CAs reaching a stable level of 195 CAs.
Against this background, the MB is thus likely to hold a targeted debate on the matter
in the near future, starting from, if need be, a revision of the current draft PD 2021-
2023 and of the resulting budgetary and resource-related requirements, in light of
the forthcoming budgetary conciliation procedure for 2021 and the outcome of the
negotiations pertaining to the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027.
-
In 2019, Cyprus requested Europol’s support to control the increasing irregular
migrant flows into the country, which has proved to be very important in efforts to
identify persons with a terrorist background. We wish, however, to reiterate, once
again, that the overwhelming majority of irregular migrants arrive in Cyprus from
Turkey by sea or through the areas of the Republic of Cyprus under Turkish military
occupation and are victims of smuggling networks. In view of the Commission’s new
proposals regarding asylum and migration policy, what further role could Europol
assume, in cooperation with FRONTEX or national law enforcement authorities, to
disrupt migrant smuggling networks?
Reply:
Europol will continue supporting Cyprus through the deployment of Guest Officers.
At the time of the drafting, five Europol Guest Officers were stationed in Cyprus. In
addition, the Joint Liaison Task Force (JLT) on Migrant Smuggling and Trafficking in
Human Beings will remain an important tool to respond to the growing proliferation
and sophistication of transnational criminal activities by strengthening coordinated
operations on the spot. Through liaison officers at the JLT, Member States are able
to drive and stimulate intelligence-led coordinated action against organised crime
groups active in migrant smuggling and human trafficking. Further, with a view to
facilitating cooperation with relevant Cyprus authorities, a seconded national expert
has been deployed to Joint Operational Team Mare. Such Team is made of specialists
seconded from seven Member States with a view to exchanging vital information in
real time to disrupt smuggling networks operating from Turkey. Cooperation with
Turkey in the area of migrants smuggling remains limited in the absence of an
international agreement, which would allow for the exchange of personal data
between relevant Turkish authorities and Europol.
3
Management Board Secretariat
Eisenhowerlaan 73, 2517 KK The Hague
The Netherlands
Postbox 90850
NL
–
2509 LW The Hague
+31-(0)70-302-5115
[email protected]
 EUU, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 897: Europols svar på spm. stillet af medlemmer af Europa Parlamentet og nationale parlamenter i JPSG
Europol Public Information
Romanian JPSG delegation:
-
[…] With regard to the Europol Programming Document 2020-2022,
we acknowledge
its comprehensive nature. As the effects of the evolving COVID-19 pandemic has not
been taken into account at the time of its final approval, i.e. 25 March 2020, we
suggest that an update of this document, comprising potential administrative
adjustments concerning the agency, be highly relevant. […].
Reply:
Europol takes positive note of the appreciation expressed by the Romanian JPSG
delegation concerning its reports on the impact of the COVID pandemic on crime as
well as the 2019 annual report issued by the Europol’s EMSC.
Further, we highly appreciate the willingness of the Romanian JPSG delegation, which
paid a visit to Europol in 2019, to develop a solid partnership, also with a view to the
upcoming legislative proposal on the strengthening of Europol’s mandate.
With regard to the aforementioned specific comment on the Europol Programming
Document 2020-2022 and the impact of the COVID pandemic, I would like to refer
to my reply to the question raised by the Cypriot delegation on the relevant matter.
In particular, it would indeed be highly relevant for Europol to conduct an overall
reflection on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its planning, not only as
concerns the last months of 2020, but also for following years.
Possible related MB discussions, to which the comments of both the Cypriot and the
Romanian JPSG delegations will have given impulse, might result in further
adjustments to Europol’s planning documents.
MEP Ms Caterina Chinnici:
-
In the September 2019-June 2020 Report on the Activities of the Europol
Management Board, the achievement of a [working] agreement with OLAF in the
fields of combating fraud, corruption and money laundering is announced. From the
data provided by the Europol Agency itself
(most recent Europol Report “Beyond the
pandemic - How Covid19 will shape the serious and organized crime landscape in
EU”),
we know that criminal organizations will try to exploit the economic crisis due
to the CoVid-19 pandemic. One of the biggest risks has been identified in the
laundering of money from illegal activities. For this reason, I would like to ask if the
working agreement between Europol and OLAF provides for particular attention
towards the crime of money laundering.
Reply:
The Working Arrangement between Europol and OLAF was approved by the MB in a
written procedure ending 22 April 2020. The Board thereby empowered the Executive
Director to sign the Arrangement on behalf of Europol, and the signature of this
Arrangement will take place soon.
The purpose of this Working Arrangement is to establish cooperative relations
between OLAF and Europol within the limits of their respective legal frameworks and
mandates. The cooperation relates to areas of common interest, such as fraud,
corruption, money laundering, intellectual property crime, or any illegal activity
affecting the financial interests of the EU. Money laundering is specifically mentioned
as an area covered by this Arrangement, concretely in Article 3 thereof.
In addition, as noted, Europol officially launched the EFECC. This is a dedicated
operational structure within the Operations Directorate of Europol to support the
cooperation among law enforcement authorities in their fight against fraud, money
laundering, corruption and counterfeiting, while systematically promoting the
recovery of criminal assets across the EU and beyond. Europol will work with OLAF
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Management Board Secretariat
Eisenhowerlaan 73, 2517 KK The Hague
The Netherlands
Postbox 90850
NL
–
2509 LW The Hague
+31-(0)70-302-5115
[email protected]
 EUU, Alm.del - 2019-20 - Bilag 897: Europols svar på spm. stillet af medlemmer af Europa Parlamentet og nationale parlamenter i JPSG
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Europol Public Information
and all other relevant actors in this particular field of crime. The possibility of
deploying an OLAF Liaison Officer to Europol’s EFECC is currently being discussed.
To conclude, I would like to thank the JPSG members for their valuable questions and
comments, which positively contribute to the further strengthening of the dialogue
between Europol and the JPSG.
I have the pleasure to copy in this letter the new MB Chairperson, Mr Oliver Rüß.
As noted in the letter that the Secretary of the Europol MB sent to you on 6 July 2020
(MBS 090.2020), Mr Rüß will chair the Board throughout the current 18-month period,
from 1 July 2020 to 31 December 2021, and will thus be responsible for the coordination
of all MB activities, including with regard to the relations with the JPSG.
Yours Sincerely,
Andrei Linta
Chairperson
(10 April 2019
–
30 June 2020)
5
Management Board Secretariat
Eisenhowerlaan 73, 2517 KK The Hague
The Netherlands
Postbox 90850
NL
–
2509 LW The Hague
+31-(0)70-302-5115
[email protected]