Can Europol hold data about me even if I was never formally charged with a crime?

Yes. Europol’s mandate permits retention of data on individuals who are suspects, potential future offenders, witnesses, victims, or contacts of suspects. If a national police force submitted intelligence mentioning you in connection with an investigation — even tangentially — that data may persist in Europol’s Analysis Projects for years. Data retention periods depend on the classification: information on suspects can be held for as long as the underlying investigation remains relevant, while peripheral data should be reviewed every three years. In practice, outdated or irrelevant data often remains unless actively challenged.