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Italy: Successful Strike against Tobacco Smuggling 
4 June 2020
2018-Max_Planck_Herr_Wahl_1355_black white_Zuschnitt.jpg Thomas Wahl
Italy’s Guardia di Finanza successfully broke up a tobacco smuggling ring in May 2020. After OLAF’s tip-off, the Italian authorities raided the port of Salerno and led an investigation against 69 persons. They uncovered two consignments of smuggled tobacco that were being shipped from the … Read more
EU OLAF
OLAF Unveils Fraud Committted by Greek Researcher 
4 June 2020
2018-Max_Planck_Herr_Wahl_1355_black white_Zuschnitt.jpg Thomas Wahl
On 5 May 2020, OLAF reported the successful discovery of a fraud scheme set up by a Greek researcher. The researcher pretended to involve over 40 international researchers in a research project funded by the European Research Council Executive Agency (ERCEA) with a grant … Read more
EU OLAF Protection of Financial Interests
OLAF: Fraud Detected in Environmental Research 
4 June 2020
2018-Max_Planck_Herr_Wahl_1355_black white_Zuschnitt.jpg Thomas Wahl
OLAF investigations dismantled a fraud scheme by a consortium that had received EU money to carry out environmental research. Apparently, the beneficiaries had neither the capacity nor the intention to carry out the environmental research project. Instead, the major share of the EU grant (€400,000) was pumped into a casino/hotel in Cyprus. Read more
EU OLAF Protection of Financial Interests
OLAF’s Work in Times of Crisis 
4 June 2020
2018-Max_Planck_Herr_Wahl_1355_black white_Zuschnitt.jpg Thomas Wahl
On 7 April 2020, OLAF informed the public that it is still fully operational and committed to fighting fraud during the Coronavirus crisis. Read more
EU Corona OLAF
OLAF and WCO Step Up Cooperation 
4 June 2020
2018-Max_Planck_Herr_Wahl_1355_black white_Zuschnitt.jpg Thomas Wahl
In April 2020, OLAF and the World Customs Organization (WCO) improved the sharing of information. Both anti-fraud bodies interconnected their databases with regard to tobacco smuggling. Read more
EU OLAF
Commission Fights Spread of Disinformation about COVID-19 Pandemic 
4 June 2020
2018-Max_Planck_Herr_Wahl_1355_black white_Zuschnitt.jpg Thomas Wahl
The Commission has undertaken steps to fight disinformation related to the outbreak of COVID-19 . On 30 March 2020, the Commission launched a new website that provides material and information on fact checks. Read more
EU Security Union Corona
EP Resolution on COViD-19 Pandemic and its Consequences 
4 June 2020
2018-Max_Planck_Herr_Wahl_1355_black white_Zuschnitt.jpg Thomas Wahl
On 17 April 2020, the EP adopted a resolution that deals with a wide range of topics on how the EU can overcome the current COVID-19 pandemic and what the follow-up could look like. Read more
EU Fundamental Rights Corona
CoE Report: Policing Regarding Hate Speech and Racism in Germany 
4 June 2020
2018-Max_Planck_Herr_Wahl_1355_black white_Zuschnitt.jpg Thomas Wahl
On 17 March 2020, the European Commission on Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) published a report on Germany. The report focuses on (1) effective equality and access to rights; (2) hate speech and hate-motivated violence; (3) integration and inclusion. Read more
Council of Europe Human Rights Issues
Rule-of-Law Developments in Hungary 
19 May 2020 (updated 3 years, 3 months ago)
2018-Max_Planck_Herr_Wahl_1355_black white_Zuschnitt.jpg Thomas Wahl
European institutions have rule-of-law concerns with regard to Hungary. As in the case of Poland, Hungary faces several infringement actions before the CJEU. The recent developments in brief: Read more
EU Fundamental Rights Rule of Law
Threat of Rule of Law in Poland – Recent Developments 
19 May 2020 (updated 3 years, 3 months ago)
2018-Max_Planck_Herr_Wahl_1355_black white_Zuschnitt.jpg Thomas Wahl in Issue 1/2020
New actions and regulations initiated by the Polish ruling party to push through reforms in the justice system triggered further controversies between the country and European institutions/civil society organisations. An overview of the main recent events: Read more
EU Fundamental Rights Rule of Law
EDPB: CoE E-Evidence Legislation Must Ensure Strong Data Protection Safeguards 
4 May 2020
2018-Max_Planck_Herr_Wahl_1355_black white_Zuschnitt.jpg Thomas Wahl
In view of the negotiations on a Second Additional Protocol to the CoE Cybercrime Convention (Budapest Convention), which will include a framework for law enforcement authorities to directly receive data from service providers, the European Data Protection Board addressed a letter to the responsible CoE … Read more
EU e-Evidence Law Enforcement Cooperation
CJEU: Confiscation of Illegal Assets via Civil Proceedings Possible 
4 May 2020
2018-Max_Planck_Herr_Wahl_1355_black white_Zuschnitt.jpg Thomas Wahl
EU law does not preclude national legislation, which provides that a court may order the confiscation of illegally obtained assets following proceedings that were not subject either to a finding of a criminal offence or, a fortiori, the conviction of the persons accused of … Read more
EU Freezing of Assets / Confiscation
Commission Announces New Victims’ Rights Strategy 
4 May 2020
2018-Max_Planck_Herr_Wahl_1355_black white_Zuschnitt.jpg Thomas Wahl
On the occasion of the European Day for Victims of Crime on 22 February 2020 and following the xenophobic/racist attacks in Hanau/Germany on 19 February 2020, Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová and Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders announced a new Commission strategy for victims’ rights … Read more
EU Victim Protection
EDPB: Data Protection Guidelines on Video Surveillance 
4 May 2020
2018-Max_Planck_Herr_Wahl_1355_black white_Zuschnitt.jpg Thomas Wahl
At its 17th plenary meeting on 28/29 January 2020, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) adopted guidelines on the processing of personal data through video devices. The guidelines take into account a prior public consultation on the topic (see eucrim 2/2019, p. 105). … Read more
EU Data Protection
Commission Presents European Data Strategy 
4 May 2020 (updated 2 years, 7 months ago)
2018-Max_Planck_Herr_Wahl_1355_black white_Zuschnitt.jpg Thomas Wahl in Issue 1/2020
On 19 February 2020, the Commission unveiled its plans and actions for a European data strategy. The new Commission under President Ursula von der Leyen set the ambitious goal that the EU become the leading role model for a society empowered by data to … Read more
EU Data Protection