Europol, the Investigation of ‘European Crimes’ and Police Cooperation: Do We Need a EU’s Agency with Executive Powers? - On the Arrest of the Former Vice President of the European Parliament and the 'Qatargate'

Abstract

On 9 December, several arrests were made in Brussels as a result of a joint operation by Belgian, Italian and Greek police, including, among others, the then Vice-President of the European Parliament, Eva Kaili, who remains in pre-trial detention at the time of writing this paper. The investigation is ongoing and the case involves alleged offences of membership of a criminal organisation, money laundering and corruption in relation to the network that allegedly received large payments from Qatar and Morocco for both political and lucrative benefits in the EU. Some voices were then raised calling for a Europol with European FBI-style powers but is this possible under the EU Treaties? Are Europol's present powers sufficient to fight against serious transnational and organised crime? This paper seeks to answer these questions.

Keywords: Europol, Police Cooperation, Executive Powers, European crimes, Eva Kaili