A proposed expansion of Europol’s data processing capabilities has raised serious privacy concerns, according to Europe’s data protection supervisor. On Thursday, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) warned that the plan could significantly threaten individuals’ right to privacy.
In June, the European Commission introduced a strategy designating Europol as the central hub for cross-border police data sharing and advanced data analysis. This initiative is part of a broader effort to equip EU justice and law enforcement agencies with stronger tools to combat transnational crime and terrorism.
A key element of the reform is a major change in how Europol handles collected data. Currently, data must be categorized before Europol can determine whether its use is legally permissible—a step the Commission has called a “key operational bottleneck,” especially given the large volume of unstructured data Europol manages. The new proposal would relax these restrictions.
In a formal opinion released Thursday, EDPS Head Wojciech Wiewiórowski warned that the plan “creates serious risks, particularly concerning the processing of personal data belonging to individuals with no known criminal connections.”
The supervisor highlighted that the proposal would permit Europol to store data on a “vast” number of people who are not involved in criminal activity, potentially for an “extensive and undefined period.”
The EDPS serves as the independent authority overseeing data protection across EU institutions, including Europol, and provides guidance to the Commission on the privacy impacts of legislative changes.
While acknowledging the need to strengthen Europe’s security framework against evolving criminal threats, the watchdog emphasized that any reform to Europol’s powers “must include strong safeguards and meaningful oversight” to protect fundamental rights.