In June 2024, the EU Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) package came into effect. This package comprises one Directive and two Regulations that aim to harmonise and further strengthen the prevention of and fight against money laundering and terrorist financing in the European Union. This article describes the legislative choices and directions from the perspective of the Belgian Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU). The authors discuss how the new measures will impact the reporting of suspicious activities and transactions, enhance the analytical capacities of FIUs and facilitate the exchange of information with other competent authorities.
While not claiming to be exhaustive, the article highlights aspects that directly affect the day-to-day operations of the Belgian FIU. It pays particular attention to the organisation and independence of the FIU, cash transactions, direct access to financial and administrative databases, and the ability to suspend financial transactions and accounts.
As the establishment of a new … Read more

This article discusses different perspectives on translation and interpreting for courts and other organs of judicature in Germany. It draws on insights from translation studies and the law to offer a comprehensive examination of this subject. Despite productive research in legal translation studies and comparative law in recent decades, there is still a gap to bridge between the two fields: learning more from each other could improve daily translation and interpreting services and raise awareness of quality requirements and issues in interpreting and translation. German legislation has few dedicated provisions regarding the function and the scope of responsibility of translators and interpreters, and instead relies largely on extensive commentaries by legal scholars and on case law. Conversely, translation studies has been putting effort into developing tailored approaches where it intersects with legal disciplines – one example being juritraductology, which focuses on both the translation of legal texts and the “right … Read more

The concept of security within the EU’s legislative and policy framework has evolved significantly over the past few decades, adapting to shifting realities. Building on existing and overarching foundations, notably the EU Security Union Strategy, the European Commission recently presented a trio of initiatives that further frame the EU’s approach towards security. Having begun with a focus on conventional threats, such as terrorism and organised crime, the EU’s security approach has expanded to encompass cyberattacks, hybrid threats, and the protection of critical infrastructure.
This article gives an overview of the most prominent adopted initiatives that have shaped, shape and will shape the EU’s security architecture. The authors argue that the concept of security can no longer be viewed in isolation and that it should be seen as intersecting with a wide range of different instruments, actions, and policy areas. The authors consider it essential to establish clarity regarding the EU’s … Read more

This article presents the principal results of a comparative study carried out as part of the AFRADE project. Co-funded by the EU Anti-Fraud Programme, it examined fraud in shared-management funds of the common agricultural policy (CAP). The article addresses three main areas: a) the payment mechanisms for CAP funds; b) the most recurrent fraud schemes and criminal offenses; and c) the most effective tools for information exchange activities that could optimise the reporting and detection of CAP fraud among national and supranational bodies involved in both criminal and administrative investigations. The authors highlight two key issues arising from the study: the methodological and procedural approach to the subject matter and the use of administrative instead of criminal measures.

It goes without saying that the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) form the heart of the protection of the EU’s financial interests. However, the national authorities of the EU Member States are in the frontline when it comes to fighting fraud, bearing in mind that achievements in the field of the protection of the EU's financial interests also depend on the readiness and capacity of OLAF’s and EPPO’s partners in the Member States, (potential) candidate countries, and other non-EU countries, all of which cooperate to this end.
While the EPPO facilitates the achievement of its objectives in many ways through delegated prosecutors, OLAF, lacking a possibility to delegate its function, mainly relies on the anti-fraud coordination services (AFCOSes). These are established in each EU Member State to ensure effective cooperation and exchange of information with OLAF. In the absence of a stable legal framework … Read more