How to watch the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting JPSG

Session 2 opening, EFECC mandate and Irish case study

The co‑chair opens the second scrutiny session on financial and economic crime, with Europol’s EFECC head presenting key money‑laundering, fraud and corruption threats and new EU anti‑scam tools, followed by Ireland’s National Economic Crime Bureau illustrating Europol’s operational value through major online fraud and crypto‑investment investigations.

In this chapter

1. Second scrutiny session opening and EFECC priorities
2. Irish economic crime cases and crypto investigations

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting JPSG

Hybrid threats, Ukraine support and third‑country agreements

Jaroslav Bžoch and 7 others

National and EU parliamentarians probe Europol on hybrid threats, state‑linked actors, Ukraine‑related risks and mandate limits, then shift to detailed scrutiny of third‑country agreements, corruption and asset recovery, Black Sea and synthetic drug routes, firearms and Latin American cocaine flows, before the Chair formally closes the first scrutiny session.

In this chapter

1. Hybrid threats, state actors, Ukraine and mandate boundariesJaroslav Bžoch
2. Third‑country agreements, corruption, Black Sea and synthetic drugsSaskia Bricmont

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting JPSG

Session 1 opening and Europol third‑country mandate

Charlie Weimers and 3 others

The Chair opens the first JPSG scrutiny session on Europol’s cooperation with third countries, with Europol outlining the evolving organised crime and hybrid threat landscape, the legal framework for third‑country data exchange, and current operational and data‑protection gaps before moving to Member State questions.

In this chapter

1. Opening of Europol scrutiny and third‑country mandateCharlie Weimers
2. Southern migration routes, Libya, Turkey and cooperation limitsCharlie Weimers

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting JPSG

Advanced data protection issues and session closure

Saskia Bricmont and 2 others

Members probe the legal basis and safeguards for uncategorised and sensitive data, strong private infrastructures, gender‑based violence investigations, biometric tools and the shift from ex‑ante to ex‑post controls, then conclude with questions on PNR use, retention, supervision and evidentiary safeguards before co‑chairs formally close the morning JPSG session.

In this chapter

1. Data protection Q&A: sensitive data, uncategorised datasets and biometricsSaskia Bricmont
2. Final questions: PNR use, evidentiary safeguards and closureNikola Minchev

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting JPSG

Launch of dedicated data protection scrutiny

Javier Zarzalejos and 3 others

After closing the mandate debate, co‑chairs open a specific data protection block in which the EDPS and Europol present oversight roles and priorities on OSINT, AI, biometrics and citizen rights, followed by Q&A on Frontex–Europol exchanges, prior consultation, urgency procedures, direct access to registries and data transfers to the EPPO.

In this chapter

1. Launch of data protection session: EDPS and Europol overviewsJavier Zarzalejos
2. Data protection Q&A: Frontex exchanges, EPPO transfers and EDPS oversightJavier Zarzalejos

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting JPSG

Recast proposal: mandate limits, subsidiarity and governance

Javier Zarzalejos and 12 others

National and European parliamentarians question the scope of Europol’s powers, data protection and AI safeguards, handling of hybrid threats, subsidiarity and national sovereignty, information‑sharing incentives and the role of national units, while the Commission and Europol explain the non‑executive mandate, innovation flexibility, governance reforms and operational coordination with customs, EPPO and migration hotspot actors.

In this chapter

1. Q&A: mandate scope, rights safeguards and hybrid threatsJavier Zarzalejos
2. Q&A: information sharing incentives, subsidiarity and national unitsLena Düpont
3. Q&A: customs, EPPO cooperation, migration hotspots and EU tech sovereigntyFabrice Leggeri
4. Q&A: democratic oversight, sovereignty, third countries and staffingSaskia Bricmont

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting JPSG

Opening of JPSG sitting and Europol reform mandate

Co‑chairs reopen the JPSG sitting, set speaking rules and introduce the agenda item on the Europol Regulation recast, followed by the Commission’s structured outline of the reform objectives and Europol’s leadership assessment of needs on mandate, technology, cooperation with third countries and resources.

In this chapter

1. Opening and Commission outline of Europol reform
2. Europol assessment: mandate, technology and resources

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting JPSG

Fundamental rights item: Europol FRO and Consultative Forum mandates

Javier Zarzalejos and 1 other

The chair closes the Europol item and opens the fundamental rights session, where Europol’s Fundamental Rights Officer and the new Consultative Forum present their legal bases, monitoring roles, handling of third‑country data transfers, oversight of AI and innovation tools, and the Forum’s initial establishment phase and confidentiality framework.

In this chapter

1. Closure of Europol item and introduction of fundamental rights sessionJavier Zarzalejos
2. Fundamental Rights Officer: mandate, monitoring and operational advice
3. Fundamental Rights Officer: third‑country data transfers, partnerships and innovation lab

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting JPSG

Q&A Round 2: migrant smuggling, online crime, governance and resources

Javier Zarzalejos and 9 others

Members press Europol and the Management Board on the migrant smuggling taskforce, fears of a supranational police role, online and platform‑based crime, operational readiness and change management, revolving doors and grants, governance reforms, and the impact of MFF cuts on delivering the 2027–2029 programme, with replies outlining support to Member States, limits of Europol’s mandate, online cooperation tools, grant oversight, and structural budget constraints.

In this chapter

1. Greek MP: Question on migrant smuggling taskforceJavier Zarzalejos
2. MEP Kanko: Question on Europol vs national police rolesAssita Kanko
3. Europol: Migrant Smuggling Action Taskforce and complementarity with national policeJavier Zarzalejos

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting JPSG

Q&A Round 1: 2027 budget, external partners and cyber priorities

Javier Zarzalejos and 2 others

Chairs launch the debate and MPs/MEPs question Europol on the gap between workload and the 2027 budget, safeguards in cooperation with Türkiye, Israel and MENA partners, and whether priorities should shift toward cyber and hybrid threats, with Europol stressing project postponements, strict Article 25 use, respect for national sovereignty and the need for central EU‑level technological investment.

In this chapter

1. Co‑chair: rules for debate and prioritised oral questionsJavier Zarzalejos
2. Q&A Block 1: Vaz (PT) on 2027 budget; Alambritis (CY) on Turkey, MENA and IsraelPedro Vaz
3. Europol replies: project postponements and safeguards with Türkiye and IsraelJavier Zarzalejos

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting JPSG

Europol leadership: mandate, threats and 2027–2029 planning

Co‑chair introduces the Europol activities item, followed by Europol’s leadership detailing new legal powers on migrant smuggling, multiannual programming under the next MFF, external partnerships, major crime and terrorism trends, cyber and hybrid threats, and the need for adequate funding and governance to match Europol’s expanding mandate.

In this chapter

1. Introduction of Europol activities item and Q&A rules
2. Europol Director: security incidents and new migrant smuggling mandate
3. Multiannual programming 2027–2029, MFF and data protection

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting JPSG

Opening, agenda and Fundamental Rights Forum mandate

Javier Zarzalejos PPE

Chairs open the 19th JPSG meeting, confirm agenda and troika decisions, and provisionally adopt the Consultative Forum on Fundamental Rights working methods after hearing Swedish concerns, with a written procedure and final decision foreseen in Vilnius.

In this chapter

1. Opening of 19th JPSG meeting and contextJavier Zarzalejos
2. Co‑chair Carthy: Irish perspective and EU security challenges
3. Troika report, agenda adoption and Consultative Forum mandateJavier Zarzalejos

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

EU anti‑drug policy: legislative gaps, prevention, routes and environmental crime

Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz and 7 others

MEPs Sienkiewicz, Laurent, Leggeri, Yoncheva, García Hermida and Bricmont ask about an updated EU criminal‑law directive, demand‑reduction measures, impact indicators, port displacement and corruption, targeted support on routes and youth violence, and integration of environmental crime; the Commission and EMPACT respond on hitting facilitators and assets, prevention and youth‑protection work, customs and Schengen issues, environmental damage and dumping, EPPO’s limited remit, and a possible future broader EU anti‑drug framework.

In this chapter

1. EPP: Sienkiewicz: call for new EU criminal directiveBartłomiej Sienkiewicz
2. S&D/PfE: community impact, indicators and ports allianceMurielle Laurent
3. Commission: towards possible broader EU anti‑drug frameworkJavier Zarzalejos

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

EU drug trafficking and synthetic‑drugs threat: Commission and EMPACT briefings

Javier Zarzalejos PPE

The Chair opens the drug‑trafficking item as the Commission and EMPACT outline the scale of EU drug markets, focus on synthetic drugs, key policy pillars, initiatives on ports, parcels and fast boats, maritime cooperation via MAOC, the EU’s role as a major producer, health and environmental harms, links to organised crime and money‑laundering, a major Polish‑Ukrainian case, and recent EU rules on drug precursors.

In this chapter

1. Chair: opening of drug trafficking item and speakersJavier Zarzalejos
2. Commission: EU drug threat overview and policy pillars
3. Commission: ports, parcels and fast‑boat initiatives

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

EU–US agreement: operational triggers, EDPS issues and public order

Fabrice Leggeri and 4 others

MEPs Leggeri, Keller, Bricmont and García Hermida probe operational activation criteria, nationalities covered, concrete EU access gains, outstanding EDPS recommendations, political timing, exclusion of ICE and the breadth of the ‘public order’ threshold; the Commission details US legal changes, data‑subject rights, monitoring of implementation and handling of the EDPS’s proportionality concerns.

In this chapter

1. PfE: Leggeri: operational triggers and nationalities coveredFabrice Leggeri
2. Renew: Keller: EU benefits, reciprocity and EDPS asksFabienne Keller
3. Greens: Bricmont: political timing, EDPS gaps, ICESaskia Bricmont
4. Follow‑up: public order threshold and EDPS concernJavier Zarzalejos

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

EU–US agreement: reciprocity, scope and data‑protection concerns

Lena Düpont and 1 other

MEPs Dupont, Sippel and others question reciprocity in member‑state bilaterals, EU capacity to meet US deadlines, cumulative data transfers to the US and effective control, while the Commission stresses selective, risk‑based queries, member‑state discretion to refuse transfers, and oversight across existing PNR, TFTP and Europol tools.

In this chapter

1. EPP: Dupont: reciprocity, deadlines and safeguardsLena Düpont
2. S&D: Sippel: cumulative data transfers and controlBirgit Sippel
3. Commission: selective queries and member‑state discretion

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

EU–US security screenings: mandate and safeguards

Javier Zarzalejos PPE

The Chair and Commission present the EU–US Enhanced Border Security Partnership framework, explaining the EU legal competence, two‑level (EU and bilateral) structure, refusal of US direct system access, limits on mass queries, the automated hit/no‑hit plus human‑follow‑up model, and embedded data‑protection safeguards assessed by the EDPS.

In this chapter

1. Chair: introduction to EU‑US security screenings agreementJavier Zarzalejos
2. Commission: mandate, competence and two‑level structure
3. Commission: refusal of direct system access and strict purpose

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Rule of law report and legislative votes: LIBE’s oversight role

Javier Zarzalejos and 8 others

Items 12 and the ensuing voting session address the rapporteur’s priorities for strengthening the 2026 Rule of Law Report and its follow‑up tools, political reactions across groups on conditionality, equality and civic space, and the EP’s timetable, before moving to a compact voting round adopting positions on the internal security fund, the EU‑UK Gibraltar agreement opinion, the revised child sexual abuse directive and the digital networks regulation.

In this chapter

1. Item 11 conclusion and move to rule of law report debateJavier Zarzalejos
2. Rule of law report: Rapporteur’s priorities and first political reactionsJavier Zarzalejos
3. Rule of law debate wrap‑up and shift to voting sessionJavier Zarzalejos
4. Voting session: Internal security fund, Gibraltar agreement, CSAM and digital networksJavier Zarzalejos

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Antigypsyism and Roma rights: EU framework and field evidence

Javier Zarzalejos and 5 others

Item 11 opens with the transition from Frontex to antigypsyism, presents the EU Roma Strategic Framework 2020–2030 and the 2026 report, and then gathers Commission, FRA, Council of Europe and ERRC testimony on entrenched antigypsyism, discriminatory policing, securitisation and structural exclusion, followed by MEP questions on definitions, funding effectiveness, accountability for police violence and school segregation and replies on enforcement tools, community‑led monitoring and desegregation support.

In this chapter

1. Frontex item: Closing and transition to antigypsyism debateJavier Zarzalejos
2. Roma strategic framework: Commission and FRA evidence on antigypsyismJavier Zarzalejos
3. Council of Europe and ERRC: Structural racism, securitisation and policingJavier Zarzalejos
4. MEP questions on Roma: Definitions, funding effectiveness and school segregationLena Düpont

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Frontex mandate revision: Commission proposal and LIBE scrutiny

Javier Zarzalejos and 8 others

Item 10 covers the Commission’s three‑pillar reform of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), with detailed figures on migration and returns, expanded operational and return‑support powers, digitalisation and AI tools, and reiterated fundamental‑rights safeguards, followed by group‑by‑group MEP questioning on the Return Coordination Centre, third‑country return hubs, trusted‑flagger status, use of force, data protection and comparisons to ICE.

In this chapter

1. LIBE agenda item 10: Introduction of Frontex mandate revisionJavier Zarzalejos
2. Commission: state of play and three‑pillar Frontex reformMagnus Brunner
3. EPP Q&A: Return Coordination Centre and information exchangeLena Düpont

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

LIBE Committee ordinary meeting: 4 November 2026

Javier Zarzalejos and 17 others

Ordinary meeting of the LIBE Committee covering agenda adoption, a procedural request on Poland, an opinion on the EU–Gibraltar agreement, and the hearing of the candidate for Europol Executive Director.

In this chapter

1. Transition to LIBE Committee ordinary meeting
2. Adoption of agenda and minutes; request for debate on rule of law situation in PolandJavier Zarzalejos
3. Opinion on EU–Gibraltar agreementAna Miguel Pedro

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Ordinary meeting

Votes on legislative file: compromise amendments, final text and interinstitutional negotiations

Javier Zarzalejos PPE

Series of electronic and roll-call votes on compromise amendments, the final text as amended, and the opening of interinstitutional negotiations on an unspecified legislative file.

In this chapter

1. Vote on compromise amendment 1: adoptedJavier Zarzalejos
2. Vote on compromise amendment 2: adoptedJavier Zarzalejos
3. Vote on the whole text as amended: adoptedJavier Zarzalejos
4. Vote on opening interinstitutional negotiations: threshold reachedJavier Zarzalejos

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Extraordinary meeting Extraordinary LIBE meeting

Main political groups Q&A with the Commission

Michał Wawrykiewicz and 7 others

Rapporteur and main group speakers (EPP, S&D, PfE, ECR, Renew, Greens, Left) question the Commission on grading seriousness of breaches, implementation gaps, media freedom, civic space, Hungary and Poland, Albania, spyware, and the link to EU funding, while the Commissioner defends the methodology and signals readiness to adjust timing, recommendations and enforcement, including conditionality and infringements.

In this chapter

1. EPP rapporteur: grading seriousness, court rulings, EP roleMichał Wawrykiewicz
2. S&D: implementation gap, media freedom, civic space and asylumCecilia Strada
3. PfE: Hungary opposition bans and EU competenceAndrás László

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Extraordinary meeting Extraordinary LIBE meeting

Commission presentation of 2026 Rule of Law Report

Michael McGrath

Commissioner McGrath details the expanded methodology and outreach of the 2026 Rule of Law Report, its four‑pillar structure and links to competitiveness and enlargement, and summarises key findings plus the intended use of dialogue, infringements and budgetary tools within an annual rule of law cycle.

In this chapter

1. Commission: methodology, outreach and cycle of the Rule of Law ReportMichael McGrath
2. Commission: main findings by pillar and enforcement toolsMichael McGrath

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Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Extraordinary meeting Extraordinary LIBE meeting

Opening of LIBE meeting and Rule of Law item

The Chair opens the extraordinary LIBE meeting, adopts the agenda and previous minutes, explains interpretation, announces rapporteur changes, and introduces Commissioner McGrath and the forthcoming debate on improving timing, clarity and follow‑up of the 2026 Rule of Law Report.

In this chapter

1. Opening of LIBE meeting and agenda adoption
2. Introduction of Rule of Law Report item and expectations

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