A notice of meeting and provisional agenda published by the Council of the European Union schedules a meeting of the Law Enforcement Working Party (Police) for 9 July 2026, with the main item being a proposed regulation to reform Europol. The meeting will include presentations and exchanges of views on the Europol Regulation, its impact assessment, and an operational perspective on most threatening criminal networks.
The working party, composed of member state representatives, will first adopt the agenda and receive an information update from the Presidency. The core of the meeting will focus on the proposed regulation amending Regulations 2018/1726 and 2024/982 and repealing 2016/794, which governs Europol's mandate. The accompanying impact assessment and external study will also be discussed, providing member states with analytical support for their positions.
A separate session will address the operational perspective on most threatening criminal networks, potentially informing future law enforcement priorities and resource allocation. The discussions are expected to shape the Council's stance on the Europol reform, which aims to enhance the agency's operational capabilities and cooperation with national authorities. No prior coverage of this specific meeting exists in the available record.
The meeting is a preparatory step ahead of formal negotiations with the European Parliament on the final regulation. The outcome of the working party's discussions will feed into the Council's position, influencing data-sharing rules and law enforcement coordination across the EU. Stakeholders, including national police forces and EU institutions, will be impacted by any changes to Europol's powers and oversight mechanisms.