The ECR Group welcomes today’s decision by the European Parliament to step up Europe’s fight against migrant smuggling.

New measures give Europol a stronger role in helping national police authorities break up the criminal networks that bring people into Europe illegally and profit from human vulnerability.

“A key part of the reform is the establishment of the European Centre Against Migrant Smuggling, a permanent Europol unit designed to improve intelligence sharing, coordinate investigations, and provide operational, analytical and forensic support to Member States”, explained ECR shadow rapporteur Georgiana Teodorescu.

Teodorescu stressed that more than 90% of irregular migrants entering the EU rely on sophisticated smuggling structures that exploit vulnerable people and turn weaknesses in the system into lucrative business.

In the debate on Monday, Teodorescu said:

“Europe must finally treat migrant smuggling and human trafficking for what they are: transnational criminal enterprises that exploit human misery.

“By establishing the Centre Against Migrant Smuggling as a permanent structure and enabling Europol to deploy experts to support investigations, we are taking the necessary steps to weaken these dangerous networks.

“Combating migrant smuggling protects citizens, saves lives and defends the integrity of Europe’s external borders. Security is not optional.”

The ECR Group strongly supports the strengthening of Europol’s operational capacity, while insisting that EU action must fully respect the competences of Member States and reinforce, rather than substitute, their responsibilities for policing, border management and criminal investigations.

A firm, rules-based migration policy is essential for closing loopholes, preventing abuses of the asylum system and restoring effective control of Europe’s external borders.

The regulation creates the new European Centre Against Migrant Smuggling (ECAMS) — a permanent unit inside Europol that will help police forces across the EU to coordinate investigations and share intelligence more quickly. It also strengthens cooperation between Europol, Eurojust, Frontex and national liaison officers, and improves the secure system through which police authorities exchange information. Europol will also be able to process certain biometric data under strict EU data-protection rules. The agreement now awaits formal approval by the Council.