Europol seeks faster AI access to combat sophisticated criminals

EU law enforcement (Europol) wants faster access to artificial intelligence tools to combat serious crime.

Speaking to POLITICO, the agency’s deputy director, Jürgen Ebner, stated that criminals are having the “time of their lives” by “abusing artificial intelligence,” while police authorities struggle to use the new technology due to legal controls.

Under EU law, authorities are required to conduct data protection and fundamental rights assessments. Ebner said these checks can delay the use of AI by up to eight months. According to him, speeding up the process could make a difference in time-sensitive situations involving a “threat to life.”

In recent years, Europol has enhanced its technological capabilities in areas such as big data processing and decrypting communications between criminals. Authorities want to “fight fire with fire” in a world where AI is rapidly increasing cybercrime.

However, academics and activists have repeatedly expressed concerns about giving authorities the freedom to use AI technology without limitations.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has pledged to more than double Europol’s staff, turning it into a powerhouse to combat criminal groups that “constantly switch between the physical and digital worlds.”

The Commission’s latest work program indicated that this will take the form of a legislative proposal to strengthen Europol in the second quarter of 2026.

Speaking at a meeting in Malta attended by data protection experts from various European police forces, Ebner said a fast-track procedure is “absolutely necessary” to allow law enforcement to use AI tools in emergencies without having to follow a “very complex compliance procedure.”

Assessing the impact of an AI tool on data protection and fundamental rights is mandatory under the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the AI Act. Ebner said these processes can take six to eight months.

The senior police official clarified that a faster emergency process would not bypass the red lines for AI tools related to profiling or live facial recognition.

Law enforcement already has several exemptions under the EU’s AI Act. According to the rules, the use of real-time facial recognition by law enforcement in public spaces is prohibited, but EU countries can allow exceptions, especially for the most serious crimes.

Lawmakers and digital rights groups have expressed concerns about these exemptions, which were secured by EU countries during the law’s negotiation.

Ebner, who oversees governance issues at Europol, said that “almost all investigations” now have an online dimension and noted that investments in technology and innovation to deal with criminals place a “huge burden on law enforcement.”

The Europol official is also in discussions with Europe’s police chiefs about the EU agency’s upcoming expansion.

Ebner stated:

“We want Europol to do more in the field of innovation, in technology, and in cooperation with private parties. Artificial intelligence is extremely costly. Lawful decryption platforms are costly. The same can be foreseen for quantum computing.”

For example, Europol could help strengthen Europe’s digital defense by providing analysts with technological expertise to support national police investigations.

Europol’s primary mission is to assist national police in investigating serious cross-border crimes through information sharing, but EU countries have previously been reluctant to delegate too much policing authority to the EU-level body.

Ebner said that taking control of law enforcement from EU countries is “outside the scope” of discussions about strengthening Europol.

The police chief said, “We do not think Europol should have the authority to arrest people and conduct house searches. It doesn’t make sense; there is no added value.”