Europol Review 2014

Networks

ARGOS and EuNAT

With the ARGOS (Assembly of Regional Groups On Surveillance) initiative, Europol brings together covert surveillance experts from Central and Eastern Europe. Issues discussed by the operational partners are the widening and optimised use of the dedicated EPE, inclusion and diversity in recruitment and the conduct of common exercises in preparation for operational deployment abroad.

The kidnapping of EU citizens abroad and the extortion of businesses are serious crimes requiring a specialised approach. The European Network of Advisory Teams (EuNAT) provides immediate international cooperation when responding to these threats where life is at risk.

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More than 6000 experts connected via the Europol Platform for Experts (EPE) img

More than 6000 experts connected via the Europol Platform for Experts (EPE)

The EPE is a secure collaboration web platform for experts in a variety of law enforcement areas. It facilitates the sharing of best practices, documentation, innovation, knowledge and non-personal data on crime.

More than 6000 users from 70 countries can interact and collaborate with each other in virtual communities.

In 2014, an instant messaging capability was integrated into the EPE to facilitate communication.

Top 3 communities in terms of number of users img

Top 3 communities in terms of number of users

Download the publication “EC3 Space Leaflet”:

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The Secure Platform for Accredited Cybercrime Experts (SPACE)

1200 registered members

The Secure Platform for Accredited Cybercrime Experts (SPACE) allows specialists from a variety of law enforcement areas, private industry and academia to share knowledge, expertise, best practices and non-personal data on cybercrime.

The Financial Crime Information Centre (FCIC)

1100 registered members

The Financial Crime Information Centre (FCIC) platform provides a support service to investigators and judicial authorities by collating information from various sources on financial crime that might be relevant for practitioners in their daily work. It mainly focuses on money laundering and asset recovery.

Intellectual Property (IP) Crime

430 registered members from academia, law enforcement and private industry

The purpose of this platform is to develop strategic analytical knowledge and best practices on IP criminality and counterfeit products.

A look into the future of serious and organised crime img

A look into the future of serious and organised crime

Download a Europol publication "Exploring tomorrow’s organised crime":

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Fighting serious and organised crime does not only entail responding to crimes that have occurred or investigating modi operandi once they have been reported. In order to understand how the threat of serious and organised crime might evolve in the future, Europol engages with experts from across the EU and beyond.

The Serious and Organised Crime Futures Forum held at Europol in March 2014 explored the potential future of threats together with experts from government, the private sector, think tanks and international organisations as well as a large number of law enforcement experts from various Member States and third states associated with Europol.

The outcome of this conference was a report that clearly sets out how serious and organised crime will remain a threat to the Member States of the EU.

Organised crime is dynamic and adaptable and Europol, together with law enforcement authorities across the EU, is challenged with keeping pace with the changing nature of this substantial and significant threat.

Blaž Mamuza, one of the 182 liaison officers at Europol img

Blaž Mamuza, one of the 182 liaison officers at Europol

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Europol is constantly in touch with its operational partners through their liaison officers based at the headquarters. This is how Europol is connected to nearly two million law enforcement officers in the EU and beyond.

Meet Blaž, Croatia’s liaison officer at Europol. Croatia joined the EU in July 2013 but their liaison bureau at Europol was established in early 2008. Blaž has been working from Europol headquarters for nearly two and a half years now. Before him, only one other officer had occupied this function. Blaž’s daily routine involves the coordination of information and intelligence related to criminal investigations that have links to Croatia.

His work consists of dealing with SIENA messages and responding through the secure line, but also quickly responding to requests from other liaison officers working in the same building at Europol’s HQ. “Since 2010, the exchange of information has tripled.

This is the due to the increased operational cooperation, but is also a result of Croatia’s entry into the EU”, affirms Blaž. “I really appreciate not only Europol as an organisation, but also all the colleagues working here. The close personal approach which we have at Europol helps us deal with complicated criminal cases quicker and more efficiently.”

Europol celebrates its 15th anniversary as the European law enforcement agency