The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) on Thursday signed a Working Arrangement for establishing cooperative relations between the law enforcement authorities of these two organisations. The Working Arrangement was signed by CBI Director  Praveen Sood and  Executive Director of  Europol, Catherine De Bolle. The signing was concluded in a virtual event held Thursday simultaneously in New Delhi and the Hague in presence of senior CBI and Europol officials.

This arrangement promotes direct cooperation between both organizations to build on their respective mandates, strategies and to explore the potential for synergies. During the signing ceremony, Director, CBI expressed his appreciation for the collaborative spirit demonstrated by both parties. He said, this moment marks a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to combat crime and enhance cooperation between these two agencies.

CBI in a statement said that this working arrangement not only brings together CBI and Europol but also enables wide cooperation between all law enforcement agencies in India and all law enforcement agencies of 27 European countries that Europol represents as well as third countries and organizations associated with Europol. This will enhance cooperation in jointly tackling various forms of crime including organized crime, financial crimes, terrorism, cybercrime, human and drug trafficking and money laundering.