MEPs on key Parliament committee back Europol reform

The European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) has voted in favour of a proposed reform of Europol’s mandate, advancing a key part of the EU’s Facilitators Package. The committee approved the text with 59 votes in favour, 10 against and 4 abstentions, sending the proposal to a full Parliament vote later this month.

The reform would expand Europol’s powers to collect, process and exchange data, including certain biometric data, and enable broader information-sharing with non-EU countries. The Commission proposed the measure without an accompanying impact assessment, despite internal guidelines normally requiring one.

Civil society and data-protection bodies had raised concerns

The decision follows months of warnings from civil society organisations and the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS), who argued that the reform risks undermining privacy, data protection standards and safeguards for people on the move. Over 120 organisations had urged MEPs to reject the proposal outright, calling it ‘unlawful, unsafe and unsubstantiated.’

Access Now, Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice, and the European Digital Rights (EDRi) network were among the groups voicing concern. Their statements warned that the expanded mandate could normalise the use of security and criminal-law tools in EU migration policies and could expose migrants, humanitarian workers and journalists to increased data collection with limited transparency or oversight.

Part of the broader EU migration legislation

The proposal sits within the EU’s Facilitators Package, a legislative initiative aimed at addressing smuggling and irregular migration. Critics argue that the package risks conflating humanitarian assistance, journalism or migration-related work with criminal activity, and that expanding Europol’s access to personal data could disproportionately affect marginalised groups.

Supporters in the committee view the reform as a way to strengthen Europol’s ability to support law-enforcement authorities and respond to cross-border crime. The committee debate, however, reflected divisions over how far security tools should be used within migration frameworks.

Final decision shifts to European Parliament plenary

With the committee vote concluded, the draft Regulation now moves to the European Parliament plenary for a final vote at the end of November. MEPs will decide whether to approve, amend or reject the reform.

Rights groups say the plenary vote is a last opportunity for Parliament to address concerns about data-protection implications and safeguards before the legislative process advances further.