Background

Article 88 TFEU, as introduced by the Lisbon treaty, provides for a unique form of scrutiny on the functioning of Europol by the European Parliament, together with national Parliaments.

On 11 May 2016, Regulation (EU) 2016/794 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) was adopted. The new regulation empowered Europol and enabled a joint parliamentary scrutiny by the European Parliament together with national parliaments on it.

The Conference of Speakers of the EU Parliaments adopted conclusions on 24 April 2017 on the establishment of a Europol Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group (JPSG) pursuant to Article 51 paragraph 1 of the Europol Regulation and in accordance with Article 9 of Protocol 1 of the Treaty on the European Union, the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community.

According to Article 51 of the Europol Regulation, the JPSG will play an essential role to “politically monitor Europol’s activities in fulfilling its mission, including as regards the Impact of those activities on the fundamental rights and freedoms of natural persons.”

The Conference of Speakers, at its meeting on 24 April 2017 agreed that the JPSG will meet twice a year. In the first half of the year, the JPSG is to meet in the Parliament of the country holding the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union while, in the second half of the year, the JPSG will hold a meeting in the European Parliament.

In line with the Speakers’ Conference conclusions, the constituent meeting of the JPSG, took place in the European Parliament on 9 and 10 October 2017, while the second meeting took place on 18 and 19 March 2018 in Sofia, Bulgaria. At the latter, the Rules of Procedure for the JPSG were adopted.

The tasks and responsibilities of the JPSG are set out in Article 51 of the Regulation (EU) 2016/794, and include inter alia the right to question the Chairperson of the Management Board of Europol, the Executive Director of Europol or their deputies as well as the European Data Protection Supervisor and including the right to be consulted in relation to Europol’s multiannual programming and including the right to request relevant documents necessary to the fulfilment of its tasks and including the right to draw up summary conclusions on the political monitoring of Europol’s activities.

Background documents

• Regulation (EU) 2016/794
• Conclusions Speakers conference 23-24 April 2017 - Bratislava
• Rules of Procedure JPSG
• Multiannual Programming Document Europol
• Letter by Mr TSVETANOV following the Europol MB meeting of XXXX

 

 

Draft agenda