European cooperation in combating crime is not merely a political objective, it also produces tangible results, Justice Minister Costas Fytiris said on Monday addressing a meeting of the Europol Management Board held in Nicosia.

The 148th meeting of the Europol Management Board (MB) took place at the Filoxenia conference centre as part of Cyprus’ rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union.

In his remarks, Fytiris said hosting the two-day event is a “special honour” for Cyprus and it coincides with the completion of the country’s 18-month term in the position of deputy directorship of the Europol MB.

Since January 2025, Maria Charalambous of Cyprus has served as Deputy Director of the European Union and International Police Cooperation Directorate.

Cyprus is also represented on the Europol MB by Charalambos Philippides as chief inspector.

According to Fytiris, technological developments and the spread of criminal rings create an environment that demands “vigilance, coordination and constant investment in our collective capacity to avert and deal with threats”.

Combating serious and organised crime, dealing with terrorism, protecting children from the risks of the internet, dealing with cyber-attacks and investigating new forms of criminality, are areas where European cooperation yields results.

The minister went on to say that artificial intelligence, advanced data-analysis tools and new technological apps are transforming the way in which law enforcement operates.

Europol, he noted, plays a leading role in supporting EU member states so that they can leverage these capabilities effectively and in line with fundamental EU principles.

Also speaking at the event was police chief Themistos Arnaoutis, who said the security environment is continuously changing.

Security threats have become more complex, faster and often go beyond national borders.

“No country on its own can deal with such cross-border phenomena,” he said.

In this respect, Europol has become a “valuable partner” for EU member states through the support it provides to national authorities, as well as through the sharing of information and technical know-how.

Ireneusz Sienko, chairman of the Europol MB, thanked Cyprus for hosting the meeting, noting that cooperation and the sharing of experiences are key to the efforts to tackle threats in Europe and beyond.

Europol is the law enforcement agency of the European Union. Established in 1998, it is based in The Hague, Netherlands, and serves as the central hub for coordinating criminal intelligence and supporting the EU’s member states in their efforts to combat various forms of serious and organised crime, as well as terrorism.