LIBE Vote on Europol Reform Blow to the Commission, but Still Legitimises an Expanding Surveillance Regime
20 May 2025
Today, MEPs working in the LIBE Committee voted through their position on a reform of the Europol Regulation.
While the Parliament does not touch on the structural issues at the heart of Europol’s power grabbing strategy, the result is a blow to the Commission, with MEPs sending a strong message that not every politically-driven and unsubstantiated piece of legislation will be rubber-stamped by co-legislators as substantial modifications were included.
The Commission’s proposal began as a self-standing regulation, which was “torn to shreds” by the Council. The Parliament’s LIBE Committee went a step further and removed some of the most problematic elements of the Commission’s proposal.
In March, 168 organisations and experts called on the MEPs to reject the Regulation calling it “unlawful, unsafe and unsubstantiated”. The reform has been criticised for pushing for the routine use of intrusive surveillance tools to criminalise migrants and those working in solidarity with them.
The Parliament’s position goes some way to remedy this, but fails to concretely prevent the police agency’s recurrent privacy violations. The expansion of Europol’s power and resources remains central to the Regulation and the #ProtectNotSurveil coalition maintains its position that this reform should be rejected.
Three key issues persist in today’s position from the LIBE Committee:
- Increased budget for Europol to process biometric data: Although safeguards have been added, the proposal legitimises biometric data collection and processing activities as well as the need for further resources to enable Europol to carry these out.
- Data collection and exchange with third countries: Europol is still able to circumvent data protection rules to exchange data with third countries as per their powers under the 2022 reform. The Parliament’s position also maintains that Member States ‘immigration liaison officers’ in third countries should still take part in the wider migrant data collection enterprise that Europol aims to set up.
- Aspects related to online surveillance: The Parliament’s position legitimises Europol’s existing online monitoring of social media and censorship of content that it deems as linked to ‘smuggling’.
Just last month, new research showed that the criminalisation of solidarity is on the rise in EU Member States with at least 142 cases recorded in 2024. In its in-depth analysis, the #ProtectNotSurveil coalition reveals how any increased power and resources for Europol would only serve to compound this trend.
With yet another Europol reform in the pipeline for 2026, the result of today’s vote is simply a temporary bulwark against the worst elements of Europol’s power and resource grab. Negotiations on the file will soon start with the Council of the EU and it is possible that some of the most concerning provisions will work their way back in, with little regard for the respect of fundamental rights and people’s safety.
Quote Pack:
Stefi Richani, Advocacy Lead, Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice said,
“Smuggling is simply a symptom of the EU’s inhumane approach to migration. This reform is a blatant attempt to instrumentalise manufactured fear of migration for the unchecked expansion of Europol’s police powers and resources. Instead the EU must reallocate public funding towards care and protection needs of migrants and all society, rather than law enforcement, detention centres, and surveillance.”
Caterina Rodelli, EU Policy Analyst, Access Now said,
“With today’s vote, the European Parliament failed to challenge the Commission’s agenda to instrumentalise migration policies to increase digital surveillance in the EU. While controversial elements of the proposal were deleted, such as the deployment of Europol to third countries, the European Parliament gave its greenlight to the expansion of Europol surveillance infrastructure for the criminalisation of solidarity’
Chloé Berthélémy, Senior Policy Advisor, EDRi said,
“The European Parliament has chosen to look the other way about the threats that Europol activities – and the police agency’s growing powers – poses to human rights. With the new reform, Europol may further weaponise their invasive data-driven surveillance tools against people on the move, including by receiving an additional 22 million euros for the development of its biometric systems.”
Media Contact:
Carrie Hou, Comms Lead, Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice
comms@equinox-eu.com