News
News found: 2317 of 2317
Italy: Successful Strike against Tobacco Smuggling
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
Thomas Wahl
EU
OLAF
OLAF Unveils Fraud Committted by Greek Researcher
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Spotlight CJEU Rules on Union-wide Enforcement of Fines against Legal Persons
After its judgment on the interpretation of the Framework Decision on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to financial penalties (FD 2005/214/JHA) of 5 December 2019 (see eucrim 4/2019, p. pp. 246-247), the CJEU delivered another important judgment on the … Read more
EU
European Court of Justice (ECJ)
Financial Penalties
CJEU: Confiscation of Illegal Assets via Civil Proceedings Possible
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
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
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
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