EU police boss urges caution over changes

The director of Europol, the EU’s police office, has given a cautious welcome to plans to give the European parliament power to decide on its budget.

But Max-Peter Ratzel warned that more time was needed to consider the full impact of the proposals put forward by European commission.

“I am not against the proposals but I think we need more time to consider the full implications of these proposed changes,” said Ratzel, who was speaking ahead of a Tuesday public hearing in the parliament on Europol’s future.

The commission proposals would give Europol, which helps combat EU-wide organised crime, a different and more flexible legal basis so that it could become a fully-fledged EU body.

This would give parliament the power to decide on the body’s budgetary issues, a move Ratzel said would “enhance its democratic scrutiny”.

At present, Europol’s annual €53m budget is funded by member states but under the proposals it would be funded by the commission.

“These proposals give us the chance to develop and would also give parliament a role to play in our budgetary issues,” said Ratzel.

“I have no problem with this but still believe it is too early to make any final decisions because I have certain concerns about what the commission is proposing.

“One of these is that, under the plans, Europol would come under EU staff regulations and we need to know exactly how this would work.  Also, we have no idea what these measures will mean on the operational side.”

Tuesday’s hearing was organised by the committee on civil liberties, justice and home affairs.

Europol, based in The Hague, was set up in 1999. It has a 480-strong staff, plus 110 officials seconded from member states.

It hit the headlines in 2001 when a French Europol employee was arrested by police on suspicion of forgery.

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