European Parliament Approves Expanded Europol Powers
The European Parliament’s Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) Committee has endorsed a reform to broaden Europol’s mandate to tackle migrant smuggling and human trafficking. This decision is part of the EU’s Facilitators Package and aims to strengthen the agency’s authority, resources, and capacity for data collection.
Details of the Vote
The LIBE Committee voted 59 in favor, 10 against, and 4 abstained. The regulation now awaits a final plenary vote scheduled between November 24 and 27, 2025.
“MEPs have given their green light to the agreement with the Danish presidency on providing Europol more resources for combatting migrant smuggling.”
Concerns Raised by Civil Society
European Digital Rights (EDRi), a coalition of NGOs and experts, warns that the regulation grants Europol "unprecedented powers" to collect, process, and share personal data, including biometric data like facial recognition. This data sharing could extend even to non-EU countries and "authoritarian regimes."
Civil society groups fear that the rules might disproportionately affect migrants, aid workers, and journalists due to limited transparency and oversight.
“The proposed regulation could specifically impact migrants, aid workers, and journalists alike, with limited oversight or transparency.”
Next Steps
The reform will undergo a plenary vote in the European Parliament later this month, which will determine whether these expanded powers are formally adopted.
Summary
The LIBE Committee’s approval marks a significant step in enhancing Europol’s capabilities to fight migrant smuggling but has sparked debate over data privacy and human rights protections.
Author’s summary: The EU moves to strengthen Europol’s role against smuggling, sparking privacy and human rights concerns from civil society groups over broad data powers.