Establishment of the Trevi group by the interior and justice ministers of the European Communities. This was the first step towards a real cooperation between European police forces.
1991
Establishment of a Central European Investigation Office (‘Europol’) to fight international drug trafficking and organised crime.
1993
Europol Drugs Unit (EDU) is established by ministerial agreement and few months later based in The Hague.
1994
EDU starts its operations in The Hague.
1995
Agreement of the Convention establishing Europol under Article K3 of the Maastricht Treaty.
1999
Appointment of the first Europol Director - the former EDU Coordinator
1999
Introduction of the analysis work files (AWFs), one of Europol’s earliest tools for gathering, exchanging and processing information and intelligence.
1999
First publication of the annual Organised Crime Report
2000
Decision to set up a Europol Information System (EIS)
2001
Signature of the first cooperation agreements with Third Parties (Iceland and Norway)
2001
Establishment of a Counter Terrorism Task Force (CTTF) at Europol
2002
Establishment of the Europol secure information exchange tool (InfoEx)
2002
Signature of the Cooperation Agreement with the United States
2005
Appointment of Max-Peter Ratzel (Germany) as Europol Director
2005
Europol reaches 500 employees, liaison officers, Seconded National Experts, trainees and contractors
2006
Europol hosts 100 liaison officers
2006
First publication of the Organised Crime Threat Assessment (OCTA)
2007
First publication of the EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT)
2009
Appointment of Rob Wainwright (United Kingdom) as Director of Europol
2009
Launch of Europol’s Secure Information Exchange Network Application (SIENA)
2010
Europol becomes an EU agency
2010
Establishment of the multi-annual policy cycle for serious and organised crime (EMPACT)
2011
Inauguration of the new Europol headquarters by Queen Beatrix
2011
First European Police Chiefs Convention (EPCC)
2013
Opening of the European Cybercrime Centre at Europol
2015
Europol hosts 200 liaison officers
2015
Launch of the Joint Operational Team (JOT) MARE
2016
Establishment of European Counter Terrorism Centre (ECTC) at Europol
2016
Launch of Europe’s Most Wanted Fugitives website.
2016
Establishment of European Migrant Smuggling Centre (EMSC) at Europol
2016
Deployment of Guest Officers to hotspots in Greece and Italy.
2016
Europol reaches 1000 employees, liaison officers, Seconded National Experts, trainees and contractors
2017
With the new regulation Europol's official name is changing to European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation
2018
Appointment of Catherine De Bolle (Belgium) as Executive Director of Europol