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25 Years of Europol
2024 marks the year in which Europol celebrates its 25th anniversary. What originally began as the European Drugs Unit in 1994 has, over the last 25 years, grown into Europol: an organisation with more than 1700 staff members and 295 liaison officers working at … Read more
Cornelia Riehle LL.M.
EU
Europol
Spotlight Comprehensive AML/CFT Reform Finalised
On 19 June 2024, several pieces of legislation with new rules fighting money laundering (ML) and the financing of terrorism (FT) were published in the EU's Official Journal. This news item provides an overview of the legal acts and the main novelties of the general overhaul of the EU's rules on AML/CFT, including the new central Anti-Money-Laundering Authority. Details of the acts are explained in separate news items (→ related links). Read more
Thomas Wahl
EU
Money Laundering
Spotlight Tasks, Powers and Structures of the New EU Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLA)
On 19 June 2024, Regulation (EU) 2024/1620 establishing the Authority for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AMLA) was published in the EU’s Official Journal. AMLA main tasks will be to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the EU rules to counter money laundering and terrorist financing. The seat of the new authority will be Frankfurt a.M., Germany. Read more
EU
Money Laundering
Spotlight The EU’s New AML Single Rulebook Regulation
Obligations for private entities to prevent the use of the financial system from money laundering and terrorist financing are now prescribed in a directly applicable Regulation. Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 was published in the Official Journal of the EU of 19 June 2024. It replaces the system to date that has regulated said obligations in Directives. Read more
EU
Money Laundering
New Anti-Money Laundering Directive (AMLD 6)
On 19 June 2024, the sixth Anti-Money Laundering Directive was published in the Official Journal of the EU. It mainly deals with organisational and institutional issues of the preventive framework that are addressed respectively to the Member States, their supervisory authorities, and Financial Intelligence Units. Read more
EU
Money Laundering
New Directive: Access of National Authorities to Future Interconnection System of Bank Account Information
Directive 2024/1654 is the fourth legal act in the EU’s AML/CFT package that was published in the Official Journal of 19 June 2024. The Directive complements the Anti-Money Laundering Directive (Directive 2024/1620 [AMLD 6] → separate news item). It ensures that designated national authorities … Read more
EU
Money Laundering
Council Conclusions on Future of EU Criminal Law
At its meeting on 13/14 June 2024, the Justice and Home Affairs Council approved conclusions on "The future of EU criminal law: recommendations on the way forward". The conclusions address the quality of EU criminal legislation and how it can be enhanced. They clarify … Read more
EU
Area of Freedom, Security and Justice
Council
Council Conclusions on Strengthening Judicial Cooperation with Third Countries in the Fight against Organised Crime
At the Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting held on 13/14 June 2024, ministers approved conclusions on strengthening judicial cooperation with third countries in the fight against organised crime. The conclusions come along with conclusions on setting up a European judicial organised crime network (→ … Read more
EU
Council
Organised Crime
The OLAF Report 2023
On 18 June 2024, OLAF presented its annual report for the year 2023. OLAF recommended the recovery of €1.04 billion to the EU budget and prevented €209.4 million from being unduly spent from the EU budget. Read more
OLAF
OLAF's 25th Anniversary
On 1 June 2024, OLAF celebrated its 25th anniversary. On 1 June 1999, Regulations (EC) No 1073/1999 and (Euratom) No 1074/1999 concerning investigations conducted by the European Anti-Fraud Office entered into force. They created a new independent body with strengthened powers to investigate fraud … Read more
OLAF
OLAF’s Operational Work January-June 2024
This news item summarises OLAF’s operational work in the first half of 2024 (January to June 2024) in reverse chronological order. It follows the reports on operations supported by OLAF in → eucrim 4/2023, 318. Read more
OLAF
Protection of Financial Interests
Actions against Terrorist Communication and Propaganda
In mid-June 2024, a major operation shared between law enforcement and judicial authorities across Europe and in the United States led to the take-down of numerous servers used for terrorist communication and propaganda as well as to the arrests of nine persons. The websites and … Read more
EU
Europol
Eurojust
Terrorism
FRA Fundamental Rights Report 2024
The FRA’s most recent Fundamental Rights Report (published in June 2024) analyses last year's developments in fundamental rights. True to its name “Towards a democracy anchored in fundamental rights”, the report focuses on key developments and shortfalls of fundamental rights protection in 2023. In addition, … Read more
EU
Fundamental Rights
Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA)
Spotlight New Directive Criminalises Violation/Circumvention of EU Restrictive Measures
The EU has adopted the new Directive 2024/1226 laying down minimum rules on the definition of criminal offences and penalties in relation to the violation and circumvention of Union restrictive measures. The Directive is an additional measure of the EU's reaction to Russia's war in Ukraine aiming at introducing crime control over breaches of a series of Union restrictive measures against Russia and Belarus. Read more
EU
Area of Freedom, Security and Justice
Ukraine conflict
Legislation
Commission's First Thoughts on Pre-enlargement Reforms
In a Communication of 20 March 2024, the Commission contributed to the discussion on necessary EU internal reforms in the course of enlargement. The Communication looks at the implications of a larger EU in four main areas: values, policies, budget, and governance. As a … Read more
Reform of the European Union
Commission
Council Sets Up European Judicial Organised Crime Network
At its meeting on 13/14 June 2024, the Justice and Home Affairs Council approved conclusions on "Fighting drug trafficking in organised crime: Setting up a European judicial organised crime network". The idea of such a network was presented by the Belgian Council Presidency at the … Read more
EU
Council
Organised Crime