Europol national units
Article 7
1. The Member States and Europol shall cooperate with each other in the fulfilment of their respective tasks set out in this Regulation. 2. Each Member State shall establish or designate a national unit, which shall be the liaison body between Europol and the competent authorities of that Member State. Each Member State shall appoint an official as the head of its national unit. 3. Each Member State shall ensure that its national unit is competent under national law to fulfil the tasks assigned to national units in this Regulation, and in particular that it has access to national law enforcement data and other relevant data necessary for cooperation with Europol. 4. Each Member State shall determine the organisation and the staff of its national unit in accordance with its national law. 5. In accordance with paragraph 2, the national unit shall be the liaison body between Europol and the competent authorities of the Member States. However, subject to conditions determined by the Member States, including prior involvement of the national unit, the Member States may allow direct contacts between their competent authorities and Europol. The national unit shall at the same time receive from Europol any information exchanged in the course of direct contacts between Europol and the competent authorities, unless the national unit indicates that it does not need to receive such information. 6. Each Member State shall, via its national unit or, subject to paragraph 5, a competent authority, in particular: (a) supply Europol with the information necessary for it to fulfil its objectives, including information relating to forms of crime the prevention or combating of which is considered a priority by the Union, such as migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings; (b) ensure effective communication and cooperation of all relevant competent authorities with Europol; (c) raise awareness of Europol's activities; (d) in accordance with point (a) of Article 38(5), ensure compliance with national law when supplying information to Europol. 6a. Each Member State setting up, participating in, or supporting an operational task force shall, without delay, provide all relevant information to Europol and the other Member States setting up, participating in, or supporting that operational task force, using SIENA and, where appropriate, make information directly accessible in accordance with Article 20(2a), including information related to parallel financial investigations to identify and seize criminal assets. 6b. Each Member State setting up or participating in an EMPACT operational action supported by Europol shall, whenever feasible, use SIENA to provide all relevant information without delay to Europol and to other Member States. 6c. Each Member State in whose territory a Europol deployment for operational support takes place shall, without delay, provide all relevant information to Europol, using SIENA and, where possible and in accordance with its national law, by making information in national databases accessible to Europol staff and seconded national experts deployed in its territory. 7. Without prejudice to the discharge by Member States of their responsibilities with regard to the maintenance of law and order and the safeguarding of internal security, Member States shall not in any particular case be obliged to supply information in accordance with paragraph 6, point (a), paragraph 6a, paragraph 6b, or paragraph 6c that would: (a) be contrary to the essential interests of the security of the Member State concerned; (b) jeopardise the success of an ongoing investigation or the safety of an individual; or (c) disclose information relating to organisations or specific intelligence activities in the field of national security. However, Member States shall supply information as soon as it ceases to fall within the scope of points (a), (b) or (c) of the first subparagraph. 7a. Each Member State shall connect its immigration liaison officers, designated by the competent authorities of the Member States, to SIENA in order to submit relevant information to Europol directly or through national competent authorities in accordance with paragraph 5 and paragraph 6, point (a). Where it is not possible to connect an immigration liaison officer to SIENA due to legal, organisational or technical reasons, that immigration liaison officer shall submit the relevant information to a national competent authority through other secure channels. That competent authority shall provide the information to Europol, in accordance with paragraph 5 and paragraph 6, point (a). 7b. Immigration liaison officers not designated by competent authorities of the Member States shall submit the relevant information to such a national competent authority, using secure channels. After assessing the information in accordance with paragraph 5 and paragraph 6, point (a), that competent authority shall provide it to Europol. 8. Each Member State shall ensure that its FIU, within the limits of its mandate and competence and subject to national procedural safeguards, is entitled to reply to duly justified requests that are made by Europol in accordance with Article 12 of Directive (EU) 2019/1153 regarding financial information and financial analyses, either via its national unit or, if allowed by that Member State, by direct contact between the FIU and Europol. 9. The heads of the national units shall meet on a regular basis, in particular to discuss and resolve problems that occur in the context of their operational cooperation with Europol. 10. The costs incurred by national units in communications with Europol shall be borne by the Member States and, with the exception of the costs of connection, shall not be charged to Europol. 11. Europol shall draw up an annual report on the information provided by each Member State pursuant to point (a) of paragraph 6 on the basis of the quantitative and qualitative evaluation criteria defined by the Management Board. The annual report shall be sent to the European Parliament, the Council, the Commission and national parliaments.