Network Structure and Functioning

The CARIN permanent Secretariat is based at Europol Headquarters in the Hague. CARIN member jurisdictions ("members") meet together regularly at an Annual General Meeting (AGM). Access to the CARIN network and its website is restricted only to members of the network. The organisation is governed by a Steering Group of nine members and a rotating annual Presidency.

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The Presidency for 2023 was held by the USA, France held the 2024 Presidency, the UK hold the Presidency for 2025, and Latvia will take over the Presidency for 2026.

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Steering Group

CARIN has a Steering Group consisting of up to nine members, from which one member is elected President. Membership of the Steering Group rotates periodically with up to three members offering to stand down each year to enable other members to join the Steering Group. If the number of candidates exceeds the number of vacancies, a vote for all members is taken.

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The Steering Group oversees the administration of the network, receives applications for membership and observer status, and decides if a state, jurisdiction or 3rd party meets the criteria for membership. Europol and Eurojust have permanent observer status in the Steering Group, and, as of 2025, EPPO is now an observer to the Steering Group. The Steering Group may establish working groups to examine and report on legal and practical issues. The Steering Group also assists in the preparation of the AGM agenda and identifies areas for consideration at plenary meetings.

 

The current CARIN Steering Group member jurisdictions are Latvia, Belgium, France, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Spain, UK, and USA.