Debate on the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol), during the EP plenary session (09-12 May 2016) in Strasbourg. Statements by Agust&iacute;n DIAZ DE MERA GARCIA CONSUEGRA (EPP, ES), Rappoteur, Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Milan ZVER (EPP, SI),&nbsp; Josef WEIDENHOLZER (S&amp;D, AU), Timothy KIRKHOPE (ECR, UK), Morten Helveg PETERSEN (ALDE, DK), Josep-Maria TERRICABRAS (Greens/EFA, ES).

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

DÍAZ DE MERA GARCÍA CONSUEGRA, Agustín (EPP, ES)

WEIDENHOLZER, Josef (S&D, AT)

TERRICABRAS, Josep-Maria (Greens/EFA, ES)

AVRAMOPOULOS, Dimitris (EL, EC)

PETERSEN, Morten (Renew, DK)

Europol (T)

KIRKHOPE, Timothy (ECR, UK)

ZVER, Milan (EPP, SI)

EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol): extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Agust&#237;n D&#205;AZ DE MERA GARC&#205;A CONSUEGRA (EPP, ES), Rapporteur, From the outset I always had the same intentions to make the regulation one that gives the right tools for efficient implementation of the objectives. Europol, has a main objective and that is to strengthen the coordination of authorities in the Member States and mutual cooperation in the combatting terror, serious crimes and 30 other violations such as human trafficking, drug trafficking, organ trafficking, kidnapping, hostage taking,  racism and xenophobia.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Agust&#237;n D&#205;AZ DE MERA GARC&#205;A CONSUEGRA (EPP, ES), Rappoteur, Europol is here to combat jihadist terrorism and we should give them better instruments to do this. In January there was the ECTC (European Counter Terrorism Centre) set up to fight terrorism and this brings together intelligence and resources and support to combat terror. This also provides a legal basis for the IRU (Internet Referral Unit) to fight internet crime, this is something that we should use to combat extremists and jihadist propaganda online.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, 82% of the citizens of Europe tell us in a very recent survey that want the EU to intervene more on terrorism than now. Once this regulation is applied in spring 2017, it will give us the right framework for this to happen. First of all, by making Europol and informationhub for law enforcement in the Union. Paris and Brussels showed this very clearly. Information exchange is our Achilles heel.

SOUNDBITE (Slovenian), Milan ZVER (EPP, SI), MEP 7 - 8th parliametry terms, Europol wil gain new competences in the struggle against terrorism. Europol will have a specific unit to ease cooperation between Europol and the Member States. I am very proud of my the work of my own political group, we've worked hard to get better cooperation between Europol and national authorities, we have bolstered Europel and now have a much better legal framework within which Europol can work, I think Europe's citizens should be proud of us.

SOUNDBITE (German), Josef WEIDENHOLZER (S&amp;D, AU), Then another important topic, the merger of Cepol (European Police College) and Europol, we've decide to reject that because we wanted to strengthen the focus of Europol.

SOUNDBITE (English), Timothy KIRKHOPE (ECR, UK), MEP 5 - 8th parliamentary terms, Europol is not a European FBI and it doesn't need to be. I t should continue to operate as a hub for information exchange and for cooperation and coordination amongst all of those in law enforcement. Our fight against terrorism and serious crime is one very we are to often several steps behind our enemy. This regulation is an important step in closing that gap. Europol has made Europe and the UK a safer place for nearly 20 years.

SOUNDBITE (Danish), Morten Helveg PETERSEN (ALDE, DK), MEP 8th parliamentary term, Denmark in a referendum  voted to leave Europol because the were unhappy about the way in which it was working, but I hope that with the new regulation Denmark can once agin be a full member of Europol. But then there are the parallel agreements which are not really optimal for Denmark, nor for Europe. But I do wish everyone the best of luck for the new strengthened Europol because it is important in terms of combatting terrorism and serious crime.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Josep-Maria TERRICABRAS (Greens/EFA, ES), MEP 8th parlamentary term, The terrorist attacks that we saw recently have increased the need to have a European police agency which is stronger and has greater ability to promote cross-border cooperation and exchange of information between Member States. In this context it was necessary to give Europol the sufficient powers to help Member States in prevention analysis and prosecution of crime across the EU. Nevertheless, the stronger Europol becomes the greater should be the parliamentary scrutiny of its activities.