On the proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on enhancing police cooperation in relation to the prevention, detection and investigation of migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings, and on enhancing Europol’s support to preventing and combating such crimes and amending Regulation (EU) 2016/794
BUDG-AD-769973
Committee on Budgets · Rapporteur: Hélder Sousa Silva
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The Committee on Budgets opinion assesses the budgetary impact of the proposed regulation on police cooperation against migrant smuggling, covering funding and staffing for Europol and other agencies.¶¶ It welcomes 50 new Europol posts but proposes a different staff mix, calls for clearer justification of redeployments, and stresses that new tasks should get fresh funding.¶¶¶
Committee position. The Committee on Budgets proposes modifications to the staff distribution and calls for clarifications and justifications, but does not reject the proposal.¶¶
Key points
- Welcomes the increase of 50 full-time equivalent posts for Europol for 2025-2027 but proposes a different distribution: 20 AD temporary agents, 10 contract agents, and 20 seconded national experts instead of the original 10, 20, 20.¶
- Notes that the 50 posts will be offset by a reduction in future Frontex staff reinforcement; calls on the Commission to include criteria for staff transfers and for co-legislators to set modalities.¶
- Voices concern about continuous transfer of funding between EU home affairs funds, especially BMVI and ISF; calls for justified explanation and clear amounts in the legislative financial statement.¶
- Determines the proposal is compatible with the multiannual financial framework ceilings and the own resources system.¶
- Regrets the lack of a Commission impact assessment; notes Parliament commissioned its own alternative analysis.¶
- Determines the proposal is compatible with the Interinstitutional Agreement and should follow budgetary principles in Title II of the Financial Regulation.¶
- Calls for further clarifications to Parliament and Council on the legislative financial statement, especially on redeployment of financial and human resources.¶
- Reiterates that new tasks for decentralised justice and home affairs agencies should be financed through fresh appropriations, with limited and justified redeployments.¶
- Submits an amendment adding a new recital stating the regulation has budget implications and that the budgetary assessment forms part of Parliament's mandate.¶¶
Who is affected
- Europol: receives 50 new posts but with a different staff mix; must agree on staff transfer modalities with Frontex.¶¶
- Frontex: faces a reduction in future staff reinforcement to offset Europol's increase.¶
- Commission: must provide justification and criteria for redeployments and staff transfers.¶
- EU home affairs funds (BMVI, ISF): subject to redeployments that the committee wants limited and clarified.