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.

Europol’s main tasks are: 

• to collect, store, process, analyse and exchange information, including criminal intelligence; 
• to notify the Member States without delay of any information and connections between criminal offences concerning them; 
• to coordinate, organise and implement investigative and operational actions to support and strengthen actions by the competent authorities of the Member States; 
• to participate in joint investigation teams, as well as propose that they be set up; 
• to provide information and analytical support to Member States in connection with major international events; 
• to prepare threat assessments, strategic and operational analyses and general situation reports; 
• to develop, share and promote specialist knowledge of crime prevention methods, investigative procedures and technical and forensic methods, and provide advice to Member States; 
• to support Member States' cross-border information exchange activities, operations and investigations, as well as joint investigation teams, including by providing operational, technical and financial support; 
• to cooperate with relevant Union bodies and with the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), in particular through exchanges of information and by providing them with analytical support in the areas that fall within their competence; 
• to provide information and support to EU crisis management structures and missions established on the basis of the Treaty on European Union, within the scope of Europol's objectives; 
• to develop Union centres of specialised expertise for combating certain types of crime falling within the scope of Europol's objectives; 
• support Member States' actions in preventing and combating forms of crime which are facilitated, promoted or committed using the internet, including, in cooperation with Member States, the making of referrals of internet content.

Equal opportunity

Europol is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications without distinction on the basis of gender, colour, racial, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, nationality, age, sexual orientation or gender identity. 
We aim to create and maintain a healthy and attractive work environment that supports women and men in their career planning and in achieving a healthy work-life balance.