The plans for Europol furthermore include a much wider portfolio, closer links with the general public and the creation of a brand new organ responsible for developing terror profiling aimed at mapping out the movement and financial characteristics of terror organisations.

Aims to give Europol a more flexible remit

The changes to the Europol-convention is set to be one of the flagship policies of the Danish Justice and Home Affairs minister during the Danish presidency, who also takes over a number of other unresolved issues from previous presidencies, such as the implementation of an extradition treaty with the United States in light of the international war on terrorism.

Today the work of Europol is narrowly defined: it works only with registration, analysis and co-ordination and not actual investigation, however, the Danish government's proposal aims to give Europol a more flexible remit so that it can participate better in the fight against cross border crime.

Denmark, in a drive to ensure flexibility, aims to end the system of special Europol contact persons in each member state to allow individual police forces and stations across Europe to take contact with Europol on their own initiative.