ABOUT EUROPOL

The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) is an Agency of the European Union (EU) located in The Hague, Netherlands. Europol was established in 1995 by a Convention under Article K of the Treaty on European Union and set up as an entity of the Union in 2009 by Council Decision 2009/371/JHA. Regulation (EU) 2016/794 of the European Parliament and of the Council establishes Europol as a EU Agency.

Europol’s objective is to support and strengthen action by the competent authorities of the Member States and their mutual cooperation in preventing and combating serious crime affecting two or more Member States, terrorism and other forms of crime which affect a common interest covered by a Union policy. 
In order to achieve this mission, Europol currently employs 550 staff members and has a budget of EUR 117 million for the year 2017.