Europol

Europol was established as a response by EU member states to the growing international serious crime. It is intended to serve as a European information center and to support national police forces through the collection and analysis of information. An agreement for data exchange with third countries and organizations has also been made. However, this collaboration simultaneously infringes on the rights of the affected citizens in various ways. Criticism has often been voiced against this cooperation. This work addresses the objections from the perspective of citizens' legal protection options. In addition to citizens' rights, the design of legal protection mechanisms and their compatibility with requirements from international and national sources have been emphasized. As a result, this work concludes that within the framework of Europol cooperation, the state's interest in criminal prosecution has been prioritized over the personal rights of the affected individuals, and neither international nor national requirements for effective legal protection have been met.