On 26 May 2021, the Council adopted conclusions setting the 2022-2025 EU priorities for the fight against serious and organised crime through the European multi-disciplinary platform against criminal threats (EMPACT). Within the EMPACT framework, EU member states, agencies and other actors will work closely together to address these key criminal threats, using tools such as law enforcement training and joint operational actions to dismantle criminal networks, their structures and business models.
On the basis of the 2021 EU serious and organised crime threat assessment, presented by Europol, member states have identified 10 crime priorities:
1. High-risk criminal networks
To identify and disrupt high risk criminal networks active in the EU, with special emphasis on those using corruption, acts of violence, firearms and money laundering through parallel underground financial systems.
2. Cyber-attacks
To target criminal offenders orchestrating cyber-attacks, particularly those offering specialised criminal services online.
3. Trafficking in human beings
To disrupt criminal networks engaged in trafficking in human beings, with special focus on those who exploit minors, those who use or threaten with violence against victims and their families and those who recruit and advertise victims online.
4. Child sexual exploitation
To combat child abuse online and offline, including the production and dissemination of child abuse material as well as online child sexual exploitation.
5. Migrant smuggling
To fight against criminal networks involved in migrant smuggling, in particular those providing facilitation services along the main migratory routes.
6. Drugs trafficking
To identify and target the criminal networks involved in drug trafficking, including trafficking and distribution of cannabis, cocaine, heroin, synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances.
7. Fraud, economic and financial crimes
To target criminals orchestrating fraud, economic and financial crimes, including online fraud schemes, excise fraud, missing trader intra community fraud (MTIC fraud), intellectual property crime, counterfeiting of goods and currencies, criminal finances and money laundering.
8. Organised property crime
To disrupt criminal networks involved in organised property crime, with particular focus on organised burglaries, theft and robberies, motor vehicle crime and illegal trade in cultural goods.
9. Environmental crime
To combat criminal networks involved in all forms of environmental crime and in particular those with a capability to infiltrate legal business structures or set up own companies to facilitate their crimes.
10. Firearms trafficking
To target criminals involved in the illicit trafficking, distribution and use of firearms.
In addition to these priorities, the production and provision of fraudulent and false documents will be addressed as a common horizontal strategic goal, since it is a key enabler for many crimes.
EMPACT is a multidisciplinary, intelligence-led and evidence-based EU initiative which aims to tackle the main crime threats that the EU is facing. It is driven by the Member States and involves many bodies which work hand in hand, including law enforcement agencies, EU institutions and agencies, public and private organisations and relevant non-EU countries and organisations. As ECOPNET (European Cooperation and Partnership Network) we note that in accordance with the EMPACT methodology and based on Europol’s SOCTA 2021, the Council will identify the EU crime priorities for the fight against serious and organised crime.
Source: Council of the EU Press Releases
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