Commissioner Magnus Brunner has deferred a parliamentary question on Europol's informant compensation costs to the agency itself, promising to transmit Europol's reply to MEP Özlem Demirel (The Left) as soon as possible. The question, submitted on 17 March 2026, seeks detailed data on payments to informants in joint investigative operations, including total amounts, number of cases by country, reimbursement for specialist equipment, and the identity of National Authorising Officers for Germany and France.
Brunner's answer, delivered on behalf of the Commission, contains no concrete figures or commitments. It merely states that the Commission has asked Europol to provide a reply, which will be forwarded once received. This procedural response leaves the substance of Demirel's questions unanswered for now.
The query targets Europol's compensation system, which allows up to EUR 20,000 per informant, calculated via a point system with seven factors and a maximum of 300 points. Factors include investigation success, geographic scope of the criminal organisation, and personal risk. Final assessment rests with each country's National Authorising Officer.
total compensation paid in 2023-2025 broken down by country; reimbursement for specialist equipment or fictitious purchases; and the identity of National Authorising Officers for Germany and France, plus which countries have not yet notified Europol of their appointment.
No timeline for Europol's reply has been given. The Commission's deferral suggests that detailed operational data on informant payments is held at agency level, not by the Commission itself. The answer signals no immediate policy change or additional oversight of Europol's informant compensation practices.
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