Law enforcement in Europe

The European Parliament approved on Thursday the new directive on the use of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data in the EU for fighting terrorism, trafficking and other types of serious crime.

The directive will oblige airlines to hand national authorities passengers' data for all flights from third countries to the EU and vice versa, the European Parliament said in a statement.

The European Commission thinks that Bulgaria and Romania have met all the requirements to join the EU's free-travel Schengen Area, a spokesperson for the EU executive has been reported as saying.

An organised criminal group of 12 Bulgarian nationals running a network for trafficking women to Italy for prostitution had been dismantled by Italian carabinieri and the Bulgarian police with the support of Europol, the EU law enforcement agency announced on Friday.

The European Commission proposed on Wednesdayto establish an entry-exit system to make faster, easier and stronger the border checksfor non-EU nationals travelling to the bloc.

Europeans spend at least EUR 24 B a year on illicit drugs, making the activity one of the main sources of cash for organised criminal groups in Europe, according to a new report.

The German authorities, backed by Europol, have dismantled a German-based Iraqi criminal syndicate suspected of laundering money for international heroin traffickers.

More than 10,000 tonnes and one million litres of hazardous fake food and drink have been seized in operations across 57 countries in an INTERPOL-Europol coordinated initiative to protect public health and safety.

The director of Europol, Rob Wainwright, will discuss measures to tackle the present challenges to security and law enforcement with Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borisov in Sofia on Thursday.

European Union’s justice and interior ministers met in Brussels on Thursday after the terrorist attacks in the Belgian capital and said they want a quick completion of the legislation that will tackle terrorism.

European Union interior and justice ministers pledged on March 24 to better share intelligence on terrorism, during an extraordinary meeting to support Belgium following the deadly Brussels attacks.