COUNCIL DECISION

of 24 October 2019

on the appointment of a Deputy Executive Director of Europol

(2019/C 370/02)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2016/794 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2016 on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) and replacing and repealing Council Decisions 2009/371/JHA, 2009/934/JHA, 2009/935/JHA, 2009/936/JHA and 2009/968/JHA (1), and in particular Articles 54 and 55 thereof,

Acting as the authority vested with the power to appoint the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Directors of Europol,

Whereas:

(1) The term of office of one of the current Deputy Executive Directors of Europol will expire on 31 October 2019. It is therefore necessary to appoint a new Deputy Executive Director of Europol.

(2) The decision of the Management Board of Europol of 1 May 2017 establishes the rules for the selection, extension of the term of office and removal from office of the Executive Director and Deputy Executive Directors of Europol.

(3) One of the posts for a Deputy Executive Director of Europol has been deemed to be vacant since 31 January 2019, which is nine months before the end of the term of office of one of the current Deputy Executive Directors of Europol, in accordance with point (a) of Article 3(1) of the decision of the Management Board of Europol of 1 May 2017. A vacancy notice for the post of a Deputy Executive Director of Europol has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 23 January 2019 (2).

(4) In accordance with Article 54(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/794, a shortlist of candidates has been drawn up by a selection committee set up by the Management Board (the ‘Selection Committee’). The Selection Committee drew up a duly reasoned report on 8 May 2019.

(5) On the basis of the report of the Selection Committee and in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/794 and the decision of the Management Board of 1 May 2017, the Management Board issued a reasoned opinion on 23 May 2019 on the appointment of a Deputy Executive Director of Europol, in which it proposed a shortlist of three candidates suitable for the post to the Council.

(6) On 18 July 2019, the Council selected Mr Jürgen EBNER as the next Deputy Executive Director of Europol, and informed the competent committee of the European Parliament about his selection for the purposes of fourth subparagraph of Article 54(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/794.

(7) On 5 September 2019, the selected candidate appeared before the Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affaires Committee of the European Parliament (‘LIBE Committee’) and, by a letter dated 18 October 2019, the Council was informed of the opinion adopted by the LIBE Committee in accordance with fourth subparagraph of Article 54(2) of Regulation (EU) 2016/794,

HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:

Article 1 Mr Jürgen EBNER is hereby appointed as Deputy Executive Director of Europol for the period from 1 November 2019 to 31 October 2023 at grade AD 14.

Article 2 This Decision shall enter into force on the date of its adoption.

Done at Luxembourg, 24 October 2019. For the Council The President A.-K. PEKONEN

(1) OJ L 135, 24.5.2016, p. 53.

(2) OJ C 28 A, 23.1.2019, p. 1.