On Tuesday in Strasbourg, the European Parliament adopted a law expanding Europol's mandate in the fight against human smuggling and trafficking. A permanent European Centre against Migrant Smuggling (ECAMS) will be created, with an additional fifty million euros allocated to it. Fifty staff members will also be recruited for this new center.
EU countries tackling human trafficking and smuggling will also receive assistance from ECAMS. Furthermore, ECAMS is expected to bring together personnel from Europol, Eurojust, and Frontex to ensure better coordination between these agencies.
Additionally, immigration officers from EU countries will be stationed in non-EU countries. They will share information about migrant smuggling and human trafficking with Europol.
Thanks to the new law, Europol will be able to process biometric data such as fingerprints and facial images more effectively. This is only permitted if necessary and proportionate. Finally, Europol and member states are encouraged to collaborate in addressing criminal activities on social media platforms.
Dutch Member of the European Parliament Jeroen Lenaers (CDA) expressed satisfaction with the European Parliament’s approval of the new expanded powers for Europol. ‘With this law, we send a clear message: smugglers and human traffickers will no longer be able to operate with impunity in the EU.’
The center against migrant smuggling will be established to coordinate and improve the exchange of intelligence and data, according to Lenaers. He was the rapporteur on this dossier.
‘We are setting it up also to ensure that Europol’s mandate covers the online world, and to provide it with the means to fulfill its new tasks.’ The law will lay the foundation for a broader update of Europol’s mandate next year, Lenaers emphasized.