PRESIDENT ZARZALEJOS HEADS EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MISSION TO WASHINGTON, D.C.

From 15 to 18 September, the Chair of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), Javier Zarzalejos, led an official mission of the committee to Washington, D.C. The delegation focused on strengthening transatlantic cooperation in the fight against organized crime, terrorism and cybercrime, as well as on protecting children online and addressing the challenges and opportunities linked to the use of artificial intelligence.

Other objectives included boosting cooperation between Europol and the FBI, improving the exchange of operational knowledge, and enhancing training collaboration with CEPOL and U.S. agencies.

The program featured meetings with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Justice, the FBI, the Department of State and the Department of the Treasury, as well as engagements in the U.S. Congress and Senate. The agenda also included an exchange with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), civil society organizations such as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and the Center for Democracy & Technology, along with a discussion with the Atlantic Council on the evolution of the transatlantic data protection framework.

The delegation also held dialogue with representatives of the technology sector and leaders in digital innovation, addressing issues related to digital services regulation and data protection in the transatlantic context.