EU proposes police cloud and €3bn for Europol
The European Commission wants to strengthen Europol and Eurojust by providing them with new means to combat cross-border crime and terrorism.
Cloud with EU flag and a police hat on top. Image by Cybernews.
The European Commission wants to strengthen Europol and Eurojust by providing them with new means to combat cross-border crime and terrorism.
- The European Commission has proposed expanding the powers of Europol and Eurojust to improve investigations into cross-border crime, terrorism, and cybercrime.
- Plans include creating a sovereign cloud infrastructure and a Police Shared Data Space to enable faster, real-time information sharing between EU law enforcement agencies.
- The proposal would also establish a technology and innovation hub to develop new policing tools and strengthen cooperation on emerging technologies.
- The proposal would also establish a technology and innovation hub to develop new policing tools and strengthen cooperation on emerging technologies.
Key Takeaways by nexos.ai, reviewed by Cybernews staff.
As crime is becoming more sophisticated, international, and digital, law enforcement authorities need better means to tackle serious crime.
Therefore, the European Commission has put forward several proposals to improve cooperation among Europol, Eurojust, and law enforcement authorities from member states, to support more joint investigations, speed up prosecutions, and facilitate the exchange of information.
One of the European Commission’s proposals is to establish a sovereign cloud infrastructure and a Police Shared Data Space, making real-time collaboration with investigators more accessible and common.
In addition, a technology and innovation hub would help national authorities to invest in critical technologies for joint research and development. Europol will gain a better understanding of the technology member states need to combat crime and must assist in developing the necessary tools.
According to the EU executive branch, these proposed measures will simplify collaboration, reduce the administrative burden on member states, and yield administrative savings and efficiency gains for both national and international law enforcement authorities.
“Criminals are highly adept at exploiting the opportunities of the digital realm, operating effectively across borders without limitations. With today’s proposals, we are strengthening both Europol and Eurojust so that Europe can respond faster,” Henna Virkkunen, executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said in a statement.
“This is an important moment for European security. By strengthening Europol's mandate, we send a clear message: the European Union is serious about staying ahead of evolving criminal threats. This is the European law enforcement community stepping into the future together,” Magnus Brunner, Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, adds.
To fund these proposals, the European Commission intends to double Europol’s budget to €3 billion between 2028 and 2034, allowing the agency to double its staff and develop advanced technological capabilities.
The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union must still approve the European Commission’s proposals.
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