EU Agrees To Boost Europol's Role Against Migrant Smuggling, Human Trafficking

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published September 26, 2025 | 03:00 PM

BRUSSELS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 26th Sep, 2025) The European Parliament and EU member states have reached a provisional agreement to strengthen Europol’s role in supporting member states against migrant smuggling and human trafficking.

The deal puts particular emphasis on strengthening information sharing between member states and Europol to improve cooperation at EU-level. The provisional agreement is subject to confirmation by the Council and the European Parliament.

The new rules amend the mandate of Europol, the EU agency that assists national law enforcement bodies in fighting organised crime and terrorism.

When adopted, the new rules foresee that information sharing obligations (about migrant smuggling and human trafficking) between national authorities and Europol will be reinforced.

The agreement stated that relevant information on migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings from immigration liaison officers, who are deployed by member states in third countries, should be shared with Europol.

The Council and European Parliament agreed that a European Centre Against Migrant Smuggling will be established as a permanent structure within Europol. The centre will provide strategic, operational and technical support to member states to prevent and combat migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings. It will also play a role in supporting the identification of victims of trafficking or other vulnerable individuals.

Frontex – the EU’s border agency – and Eurojust – the European Union agency for criminal justice cooperation – should second liaison officers to the centre in accordance with their mandates.

Finally, additional human and financial resources (50 staff and €50 million) to implement the new tasks are foreseen for Europol.

It is estimated that more than 90 percent of the irregular migrants who reach the EU make use of the services of smugglers and the UN considers that smuggling networks rake in profits of between €4.7 and €6 billion annually.