Europol and Frontex strengthen cooperation with new Working Arrangement
The European Union agencies Europol and Frontex have signed a new Working Arrangement to strengthen their cooperation in addressing cross-border threats affecting the European Union. The agreement replaces the 2015 arrangement and takes into account the expanded mandates of both agencies, providing an updated framework for the secure exchange of information, including for operational purposes.
On 16 July 2026, Europol, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation, and Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, signed the new Working Arrangement on the margins of the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting in Dublin, Ireland. The new framework aims to enhance cooperation between the two agencies in areas such as migrant smuggling, trafficking in human beings and other forms of serious and organised crime, in line with their respective mandates.
The agreement reflects developments in the legal frameworks governing both agencies, including the 2019 revision of the European Border and Coast Guard Regulation and the updated mandate of Europol. It enables more effective information exchange, including personal data where permitted under the applicable legal frameworks and in full compliance with EU data protection rules. The arrangement further strengthens the complementarity of the agencies’ work, allowing Frontex and Europol to combine their respective expertise in border management and the analysis of criminal networks.
For further details, please read the press release from Europol.
