Strengthening Europol’s cooperation with Middle Eastern countries
MEPs will give their input to the upcoming negotiations with eight countries in the Middle East and North Africa to strengthen cooperation with Europol.
MEPs are likely to stress that a thorough impact assessment is needed for the future agreements on the transfer of data between Europol and the authorities of Jordan, Turkey, Israel, Tunisia, Morocco, Lebanon, Egypt, and Algeria. They are also expected to stress the need for clear safeguards to protect data and ensure that fundamental rights and freedoms are protected.
If the agreements afford less data protection than EU law, then they must not be concluded, say MEPs in the draft resolutions to be voted on Wednesday.
The EU Commission has been given the green light to start the negotiations with the eight countries on behalf of the EU. The aim of strengthening cooperation is to prevent and combat terrorism and organised crime, and to tackle challenges such as the facilitation of irregular migration and trafficking in human beings.
Procedure: Own-legislative resolution
2018/2060(INI), 2018/2061(INI), 2018/2062(INI), 2018/2063(INI), 2018/2064(INI), 2018/2065(INI), 2018/2066(INI), 2018/2067(INI),
Vote: Wednesday 4 July