Leaked legal opinions and internal files reveal how EU Commission negotiators bypassed member states, ignored red flags on human rights, and kept talking to Israeli officials long after being told a 2022 draft deal for the exchange of personal data between Europol and Israel broke EU and international law.
As EU home affairs commissioner Magnus Brunner insists Brussels is not building a “European FBI”, MEPs are questioning how much power Europol could gain under a new proposal — from influencing national prosecutors to using information it is currently not allowed to use under existing rules.
From concerns over Israel to getting negotiations right with “our American friends,” data protection has been no walk in the park for veteran EU supervisor Wojciech Wiewiórowski.
The EU police agency is alleged to have processed the data of European citizens for years without much scrutiny.
The European Commission plans will deliver major boosts to both agencies with nearly €12bn earmarked for Frontex and €3bn for Europol.
