EuroCOP generally supports 4 workstreams that it identified in the Commission proposal:
- Strengthen inter-agency cooperation (Eurojust, Europol, European Border and Coast Guards Agency), leadership and coordination in the fight against migrant and human trafficking at EU level
- Improve the exchange of information on migrant trafficking and human trafficking via Europols
- Secure Information Exchange Network Application (SIENA)
- Strengthen the resources of Member States Strengthen Europol’s support through operational task forces and Europol deployments to conduct joint, coordinated and prioritised criminal intelligence activities and investigations à pool of experts at immediate disposal of Europol
EuroCOP would also like to highlight that:
- The enhanced international cooperation foreseen in the proposal is appropriate to fight such international crimes (European Centre Against Migrant Smuggling / Europol coordination / Exchange of information). International cooperation needs to be improved, taking into account the decentralised structure of the competent safety authorities in some Member States. The Commission’s efforts to improve international co-operation and co-ordination between Member States are in vain if the central governments themselves do not make a commitment to incorporate the same willingness to co-operate internally. There are still gaps in this sense and we have to bear in mind that a failure to cooperate in one place (weakest link) can have fatal consequences for the rest of the European territory.
- This legislative initiative would have an impact on the budget and staff needs of Europol. It is estimated that an additional budget of around EUR 50 million and around 50 additional posts would be needed for the overall period of the current Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027. However, national financial support to police officers on the ground (in particular border police) should come on top of the rather soft coordination.