A recent update on INTERPOL’s website is unlikely to raise eyebrows. The Commission for the Control of INTERPOL’s Files (CCF) has acknowledged that it has been experiencing delays in meeting its deadlines due to an increased workload, both within the Commission and among other INTERPOL stakeholders. This will be all too familiar to those targeted by red notices and their representatives. Resourcing issues and delays have long plagued the CCF, despite operational rules requiring decisions on disclosure requests within four months and deletion requests within nine months.
In 2023 (the most recent year for which data is available), these time periods were not met for approximately 30% of disclosure requests and 15% of deletion requests. Where there were delays, the average delay was an additional three to four months for disclosure requests and three to six months for deletion requests. These figures are borne out by our own experiences of submitting applications on behalf of our clients.
Whilst these delays are concerning, there is at least some hope of improvement. For one, publicly acknowledging the delays is a positive step that at least provides an explanation for the lack of response. In addition, at the most recent meeting of the INTERPOL General Assembly, additional funding was approved for the CCF, increasing the annual budget for the CCF from €2.5m in 2024 to €4m in 2025. According to the CCF’s press release this increase will enable the hiring of new staff and support the development of new information technology tools in collaboration with the General Secretariat.
Whilst the increased budget represents a significant proportional increase, it is unclear whether the budget will be sufficient to adequately address the CCF’s resourcing challenges. The Commission’s 2023 annual report highlighted a 70% rise in red notice requests between 2021 and 2023. In addition to managing this increase, the CCF faces the task of clearing its backlog of cases. Furthermore, time will be required to hire, train, and integrate new staff effectively.
In summary, while the additional funding is a positive step, it is evident that further resources will be necessary, and tangible improvements may still be some way off.
Further information
If you have any questions regarding this blog, please contact Will Hayes or Rebecca Niblock in our Criminal team.
About the authors
Will Hayes is a Legal Director in the criminal litigation team with a practice focussing predominantly on serious and complex crime, extradition and INTERPOL Red Notices.
Rebecca Niblock is a leading criminal lawyer, with a specialism in dealing with complex matters that cross jurisdictions. She is ranked as a Star Individual by Chambers & Partners UK in the field of Crime: Extradition and is recommended in Who’s Who: Business Crime Defence Lawyers.
