EU moves to strengthen Europol against rising digital, cross-border crime

EU moves to strengthen Europol against rising digital, cross-border crime June 24 : The European Commission on Wednesday unveiled measures to enable Europol, the EU's law enforcement agency, to respond more quickly and effectively to cross-border and increasingly digital crime. • Europol warned last year that organised crime gangs were turning to AI-powered scams to target victims. Tackling smuggling gangs that illegally move migrants across Europe remains a priority for many governments. • The Commission said Europol will build a sovereign cloud infrastructure and create a shared data space to allow investigators to collaborate more easily on joint cases. • The agency will also establish support offices in EU countries, staffed by officers with prior Europol experience, the Commission said. • Europol will deepen cooperation with international partners and improve coordination with Eurojust, the EU’s judicial cooperation body. • "Criminals are highly adept at exploiting the opportunities of the digital realm, operating effectively across borders without limitations," EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said. • "We are strengthening both Europol and Eurojust so that Europe can respond faster... share information more effectively, and bring criminals to justice more efficiently," she added.