Europol Platform for Experts

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The Europol Platform for Experts ( EPE ; German Europol Expert Platform ) is a secure communication platform operated by Europol for cross-topic cooperation between specialists from the police authorities . In a report by the Council of Europe from January 2015, the EPE is named as Europol's core application alongside the Secure Information Exchange Network Application (SIENA), the Europol Information System (EIS) and the Europol Analysis System (EAS) .

Goal setting

The platform is intended to simplify the exchange of:

On the platform, experts can exchange their knowledge in online communities . Access can only be obtained by invitation from a platform administrator . Employees from police authorities but also non-police persons from professional groups with a criminological theme, for example academics or specialists from private industry, are invited .

To provide

  • a library for documents of interest
  • a message forum where those involved can ask questions and discuss them with interested participants
  • a blog to inform the expert colleagues about articles, events and changes
  • a calendar that draws attention to appointments
  • a wiki in which a knowledge base for the European intelligence community is built (compare Intellipedia ).

Communities

The topics discussed are diverse and divided into so-called communities . They include, for example, vehicle crimes, witness protection , computer and cybercrime , counterfeit money crime , credit card fraud , violent extremism , kidnappings , intellectual property violations , forensic crime scene investigations , gang crime , informant treatment , covert surveillance, technology for policing, measures as part of the Prümer Contract and many others. As part of the EPE, the discussion forums are hosted by organizations such as the European Network of Forensic Science Institutes .

The German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) participates in the Community Cross-Border Surveillance Working Group , whereby the use of technical means was examined. In addition, other topics are known that are of interest.

Participants and Development

Looking back on 2013, Europol reports on 33 online communities and a total of 4419 users. According to Europol, 8,140 users from 84 countries were registered at the end of 2015. 2000 of them were on the platform for the first time in the same year.

criticism

As early as 2012, the opposition in the German Bundestag expressed concerns about the connection between the BKA and the Federal Police in the EPE. The scope and content of the collaboration are subject to confidentiality and are therefore not public. Both could, for example, take part in working groups dealing with cross-border activities. In 2012, this cooperation was not yet confirmed by the Federal Government. At the time, there was at least a well-founded suspicion that there could be an overlapping of competencies with the Federal Intelligence Service .

literature

  • Robert Esser : The role of Europol and Eurojust in the fight against terrorism and organized crime . In: Arndt Sinn , Mark Alexander Zöller (ed.): Readjustment of criminal law through terrorism and organized crime. 2nd German-Taiwanese Criminal Law Forum Trier / Osnabrück 2012 . CF Müller, Heidelberg, Munich, Landsberg, Frechen, Hamburg 2013, pp. 61 ff .
  • Christian Wandl: Europol. Supporting the criminal police in the fight against organized crime, terrorism and other forms of serious crime . 2nd Edition. ProLibris.at, Linz 2013, ISBN 978-3-99008-203-4 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e Europol: Europol Platform for Experts (EPE). Retrieved March 17, 2018 .
  2. ↑ Europol Work Program 2015. Document 5250/15 of the Council of Europe of 16 January 2015, published on Statewatch . Retrieved March 17, 2018 .
  3. ↑ a b c d Publication Office of the European Union; Europol Platform for Experts Leaflet ; QL-01-13-563-EN-C; available online .
  4. ^ Access Policy of the ENFSI Intranet. (PDF) Document no. BRD-WEB-002. May 19, 2017, accessed March 17, 2018 .
  5. ↑ Dr. Sahra Wagenknecht, Dr. Dietmar Bartsch and parliamentary group [Die Linke]: Small question. (PDF) German Bundestag printed matter 18/9715; 18th electoral term from 16.09.2016 - Small question from the MPs Andrej Hunko, Ulla Jelpke, Jan van Aken, Dr. André Hahn, Inge Höger, Jan Korte, Niema Movassat, Dr. Alexander S. Neu, Harald Petzold (Havelland), Kathrin Vogler and the DIE LINKE parliamentary group. Retrieved March 18, 2018 (German).
  6. ↑ EUROPOL Review. General Report on EUROPOL Activities; EDOC # 693401v9. Europol, May 27, 2014, pp. 18 ff , accessed on March 17, 2018 (English).
  7. ^ Internationally covert police networks. (PDF) Small question from the MP Andrej Hunko u. a. and the LEFT parliamentary group. May 30, 2012, accessed on March 18, 2018 (German).