At its 93rd session (Marrakech, Morocco, 24-27 November 2025), the General Assembly adopted the General Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities of INTERPOL.
Previously INTERPOL relied on individual bilateral agreements negotiated on a case-by-case basis. The Agreement now provides a harmonized framework for the privileges and immunities of INTERPOL, its officials, and representatives of member countries, as part of the Organization’s global activities
The privileges and immunities granted under this Agreement are not diplomatic immunities nor do they extend to private conduct. They are essential, practical safeguards designed to preserve the Organization’s neutrality, protect its sensitive information, and ensure its ability to support member countries combat transnational crime.
Key benefits include:
Facilitating International Mobility
As INTERPOL staff members often travel across borders to support training and operations, the General Agreement ensures that they can swiftly respond to member countries, particularly in urgent situations such as major events, crises, or natural disasters. Privileges, such as simplified visa procedures, ensure the quick deployment of officials to discharge duties without delay.
Safeguarding Neutrality
As INTERPOL’s role is strictly to facilitate international police cooperation, privileges and immunities prevent undue influence from national laws or political pressures, ensuring that INTERPOL remains an impartial, trusted partner in global law enforcement and free from the jurisdictional interference of any single member country.
Protecting Sensitive Information
INTERPOL operates as a neutral, non-political platform to coordinate critical international law enforcement activities such as tracking fugitives and managing global databases. The General Agreement guarantees that information shared by member countries remains confidential and inviolable. No third party may access, intercept or interfere with this data, reinforcing national security and trust in INTERPOL’s systems.
Ensuring Independence
Privileges and immunities ensure that INTERPOL officials and representatives of member countries can carry out their duties without being subject to foreign legal processes, arrests, or disruptions - for words or acts performed in the course of their official activities. The Agreement ensures that immunities remain functional in nature and do not extend to private conduct.
Signatories:
The following 11 member countries signed the General Agreement at the General Assembly on 27 November 2025: Austria, Chile, Ecuador, Ghana, Lebanon, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Nicaragua, Palau and Serbia.