‘Europol’s mission shall be to support and strengthen action by the Member States’ police authorities and other law enforcement services and their mutual cooperation in preventing and combating serious crime affecting two or more Member States, terrorism and forms of crime which affect a common interest covered by a Union policy’.

(Article 88 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union)

Europol shall host the European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) and act as the focal point in Europe’s fight against cybercrime in accordance with the Communication from the Commission to the Council and European Parliament COM(2012) 140 final of 28 March 2012‘Tackling crime in our Digital Age: Establishing a European Cybercrime Centre’.

Europol shall support the EU Policy Cycle for serious and organised crime and EMPACT (1) projects in line with the Council conclusions on the creation and implementation of an EU policy cycle for organised and serious international crime and the subsequent Council conclusions of 27 May 2011 on setting the EU’s priorities for the fight against organised crime between 2011 and 2013.

Europol shall continue efforts to establish the Prüm Helpdesk in order to support the daily application of the ‘Prüm Decisions’ in accordance with the Council conclusions of 13 December 2011 on intensifying the implementation of the ‘Prüm Decisions’.

Europol shall process and transfer financial messaging data in accordance with the Agreement between the European Union and the United States of America on the processing and transfer of Financial Messaging Data from the European Union to the United States for the purposes of the ‘Terrorist Finance Tracking Program’ (TFTP).

Europol shall also act as the Central Office for combating euro counterfeiting in accordance with Council Decision 2005/511/JHA of 12 July 2005 on protecting the euro against counterfeiting, by designating Europol as the Central Office for combating euro counterfeiting.

the organisation and equipment of those authorities by facilitating the provision of technical support between the Member States,

The training of members of their competent authorities, where appropriate in cooperation with the European Police College,

Additionally, to assist Member States through support, advice and research in the following areas

to provide strategic intelligence to assist and promote the efficient and effective use of the resources available at national and Union level for operational activities and the support of such activities.

To develop specialist knowledge of the investigative procedures of the competent authorities of the Member States and to provide advice on investigations,

to provide support to Member States in their tasks of gathering and analysing information from the internet in order to assist in the identification of criminal activities facilitated by or committed using the internet.

to prepare threat assessments, strategic analyses and general situation reports relating to its objective, including organised crime threat assessments,

to provide intelligence and analytical support to Member States in connection with major international events,

to ask the competent authorities of the Member States concerned to initiate, conduct or coordinate investigations and to suggest the setting up of joint investigation teams in specific cases,

to aid investigations in the Member States, in particular by forwarding all relevant information to the national units,

to notify the competent authorities of the Member States without delay via the national unit referred to in Article 8 of information concerning them and of any connections identified between criminal offences,

Europol’s competence shall also cover related criminal offences as defined in Article 4(3) ECD.

Europol’s competence shall cover organised crime, terrorism and other forms of serious crime affecting two or more Member States in such a way as to require a common approach by the Member States owing to the scale, significance and consequences of the offences.

European Parliament, taking into account a recommendation from the Council, acting by qualified majority.

Leads Europol and is accountable to the Management Board in respect of the performance of his/her duties.

Is assisted by three Deputy Directors appointed for a 4-year period (extendable once).

Is appointed by the Council, acting by qualified majority, from a list of at least three candidates presented by the Management Board, for a 4-year period (may be extended once for not more than 4 years).

The Management Board shall be composed of one representative of each Member State and one representative of the Commission.

Temporary staff: 450 (457) in establishment plan. Actual number in post on 31.12.2014 = 427 (426) excluding 13 TA posts that were not filled on 31.12.2014 but for which recruitment procedures were finalised and offer letters sent to selected candidates. At year end 9 of the 10 vacant posts had been identified as posts which would be cut as of January 2015.

Resources made available to the Office in 2014 (2013)

Products and services in 2014 (2013)