EU proposes €3 billion Europol budget and data powers

The European Commission has proposed a major expansion of Europol's powers and budget alongside a broader package of reforms aimed at strengthening the European Union's law enforcement and judicial response to cross-border crime. Announced on June -24, 2026, the proposals would double Europol's budget to 3 billion euros and grant the agency new authority to collect and share personal data, including on individuals not suspected of crimes, while establishing a new shared data space for police across the bloc.

The reforms are designed to combat what officials describe as increasingly sophisticated, digital, and transnational criminal networks. The centerpiece for Europol is the creation of a secure, sovereign cloud infrastructure and a Police Shared Data Space. This system would allow investigators from different EU member states to collaborate on cross-border cases in real time, sharing information, conducting joint analysis, and developing a unified operational picture of criminal networks. The agency will also establish a technology and innovation hub to identify law enforcement capability gaps and fund joint research and development projects.