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News found: 2482 of 2482
New EMPACT Cycle Started - Impact by War in Ukraine
January 2022 saw the start of the new EMPACT cycle 2022-2025 to fight organised and serious international crime. In March 2022, the French Council Presidency outlined the impacts of the war in Ukraine on the EMPACT policy. Read more
Cornelia Riehle LL.M.
Thomas Wahl
EU
Organised Crime
Law Enforcement Cooperation
EBA’s Second Report on Performance of AML/CFT Banking Supervision
On 22 March 2022, the European Banking Authority (EBA) published the main findings of the second round of reviews of authorities’ approaches to the supervision of banks regarding anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT). These review reports are part of the EBA’s … Read more
EU
Money Laundering
EP Pushes for Efforts against Corruption in the World
On 17 February 2022, the EP made several recommendation aiming at strengthening the fight against corruption in the EU and third countries. MEPs, inter alia, call for a comprehensive EU anti-corruption strategy and better transparency and accountability of public bodies. Read more
EU
Corruption
Spotlight CJEU Rules on Member States’ Liability in the Event of Losses of Own Resources
On 8 March 2022, the CJEU ruled that the United Kingdom has failed to fulfil its obligations in relation to customs control and the availability of EU own resources by failing to adopt the measures necessary to combat fraud with regards to undervalued imports of textiles and footwear from China. In particular, the UK had to take into account OLAF risk analysis tools. Read more
EU
OLAF
Protection of Financial Interests
French Council Presidency Wants Better Use of SIS against Terrorists
At the beginning of its Council Presidency, France initiated discussion of whether the post-hit procedure in the Schengen Information System (SIS) for alerts related to terrorism should be improved. It is proposed that all Member States having previously volunteered receive alerts on certain terrorists and are mandatorily and automatically informed of the hits. Read more
EU
Schengen
Terrorism
Law Enforcement Cooperation
OLAF and Belgian FIU Updated Cooperation Arrangement
On 23 March 2022, OLAF Director-General Ville Itälä and President of the Belgian Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) Philippe de Koster signed an update of their cooperation arrangement which was concluded in 2005. The new text takes into account developments in the legislative and operational frameworks … Read more
EU
OLAF
Progress on E-Evidence Package – Stakeholders Remain Critical
The French Council Presidency relaunched trilogue negotiations on the controversial EU e-evidence legislation. Positions between the Council and the European Parliament remain partly controversial. Civil society organisations meanwhile reiterated their support for the EP's positions. Read more
EU
Law Enforcement Cooperation
French Presidency Put Access to Lawyer on Agenda
Against the background of continuous attacks on lawyers, the French Council Presidency initiated a debate on protecting access to lawyers and the rule of law. In a discussion paper of 17 February 2022, the Presidency stressed the importance of the independence and professional integrity … Read more
EU
Rule of Law
Procedural Safeguards
Council Backs Commission’s Initiative to Extend List of EU Crimes to Hate Speech and Hate Crime
On 4 March 2022, the Justice Ministers of the EU Member States discussed the Commission’s initiative of December 2021 to include hate speech and hate crime into the list of EU crimes in Art. 83 TFEU (→ eucrim 4/2021, 221). According to the Council’s … Read more
EU
Racism and Xenophobia
EU and Latin American Countries Improve Cooperation in Fighting Transnational Organised Crime
On 3 March 2022, the Ministers of the Interior of the Member States of the European Union and Ministers in charge of security matters of the Member States of the Latin American Committee for Internal Security (CLASI) adopted a joint declaration on the fight against … Read more
EU
Organised Crime
Law Enforcement Cooperation
Council Adopts General Approach on New Schengen Evaluation Procedure
On 3 March 2022, the Justice and Home Affairs Council agreed on a general approach regarding the reform of the specific Schengen evaluation and monitoring mechanism (for the Commission proposal → eucrim 2/2021, 76). The new rules will speed up and simplify the evaluation … Read more
EU
Schengen
Commission Seeks Mandate to Negotiate UN Cybercrime Convention
On 29 March 2022, the Commission published a recommendation for a Council decision authorising the Commission to start negotiations on a UN Convention on Cybercrime on behalf of the EU (cf. Art. 218(3) TFEU). According to the Commission, this is to ensure the appropriate participation … Read more
EU
Cybercrime
Proposal for a European Union Drugs Agency
On 12 January 2022, the European Commission published a proposal for the creation of a European Union Drugs Agency. The proposed Regulation provides for a targeted revision of the mandate of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA).The EMCDDA, established in … Read more
EU
Organised Crime
Council's Conclusions on Combating Racism and Antisemitism
On 4 March 2022, the Council of the European Union adopted Conclusions on combating racism and antisemitism. They endorse the EU Strategy on combating antisemitism and fostering Jewish life and invited Member States to develop national action plans and/or strategies in this regard. Read more
Dr. Anna Pingen
EU
Council
Racism and Xenophobia
European Chief Prosecutor: Poland Systematically Refuses Cooperation with EPPO
The European Chief Prosecutor informed the Commission of Poland's systematic refusal to cooperate with the EPPO. Poland has refused to apply the regular, binding EU judicial cooperation instruments as well as to sign a working arrangement with the new EU body for tackling crimes against the EU's financial interests. Read more
EU
Rule of Law
European Public Prosectutor's Office (EPPO)
Protection of Financial Interests
General Court: New Judges Appointed
On 13 January 2022, the Court of Justice of the EU held a formal sitting on the occasion of the entry into office of three new Judges of the General Court of the EU: Mr Damjan Kukovec, Ms Suzanne Kingston, and Mr … Read more
EU
Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU)