Proposals to expand Europol's use of AI raise privacy and governance concerns

EU officials have warned that proposals to expand Europol's artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities threaten privacy protections within the bloc.

The proposal, announced in the summer, doubles the agency's budget to €3 billion and gives it broader access to data and advanced technologies to counter growing threats from criminals, terrorists, and spies weaponising AI for scams and cyberattacks. Unsurprisingly, the proposal has sparked debate over privacy and governance. Fabienne Keller, an MEP on the justice and civil liberties committee, said strengthening Europol must be paired with democratic oversight and data protection safeguards.

Meanwhile, European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) Wojciech Wiewiórowski supports modernising Europol but questions the proposal's complete lack of supervisory mechanisms, noting that it lays the foundation for data-driven policing across Europe. However, Europol's incoming executive director, Jürgen Ebner, argues that modern policing requires full AI capabilities to counter rapid, scalable criminal operations. While acknowledging that law enforcement faces legal constraints that criminals ignore, Ebner insisted the agency must not let technology justify its own use or permit operational urgency to undermine fundamental safeguards.

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