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VAT Fraud with Mobile Phones Dismantled
At the beginning of July 2021, an operation conducted by the Hungarian National Tax and Customs Administration (NTCA) and supported by Europol led to the seizure of assets worth €14.2 million as well as14 arrests. The respective organised crime group had used non-existing traders to … Read more
Cornelia Riehle LL.M.
EU
Europol
Five Years of No More Ransom
Since 2016, the descriptors available in the No More Ransom repository (→eucrim news of 10 September 2019) have succeeded in helping more than six million people recover their files for free and prevented criminals from earning almost a billion euros through ransomware attacks. Today, No … Read more
EU
Europol
Europol Reform: Council Mandate for Negotiations Adopted
In the legislative process surrounding the proposal for a Regulation amending Regulation (EU) 2016/794 on Europol, the following is especially expected to change:Rules on Europol’s cooperation with private parties;The processing of personal data by the agency in support of criminal investigations;Its role … Read more
EU
Europol
New Judges and Advocates General Appointed
On 7 July 2021, representatives of the governments of the EU Member States appointed two judges and two advocates general to the European Court of Justice. All four terms of office end on 6 October 2027.For the Court of Justice, Ms Küllike Jürimäe … Read more
EU
Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU)
AML Package IV: EU Traceability of Funds Legislation to Be Extended to Crypto-Assets
The Commission proposed a recast of Regulation 2015/847 dealing with the traceability of funds. The scope of the Regulation should be extended to transfers of crypto-assets, thus making EU legislation compliant with recommendations of the FATF. Read more
Thomas Wahl
EU
Money Laundering
AML Package III: 6th AML Directive Proposed
On 20 July 2021, the Commission presented its proposal for a sixth Directive on money laundering and terrorist financing (AMLD 6), which will replace the existing Directive 2015/849. Together with the accompanied proposals on a Regulation on money laundering/terrorist financing and on the recast of Regulation 2015/847, the AMLD 6 will form the EU single rulebook on AML/CFT as announced as one of the objectives in the Action Plan of 7 May 2020. Read more
EU
Money Laundering
Spotlight AML Package II: Commission Proposes AML Regulation
According to a Commission proposal of 20 July 2021, the EU should have in place a Regulation on the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing. The Regulation will include stricter, more uniform and directly applicable EU rules on money laundering. It will form part of the EU's objective for EU single AML/CFT rulebook. Read more
EU
Money Laundering
Spotlight AML Package I: Creation of an EU AML Authority
At the heart of the legislative proposal to overhaul the EU’s AML/CFT rules as presented on 20 July 2021 is the creation of a new EU authority which will be tasked with AML/CFT supervision in the EU and support of EU Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs). The EU AML Authority (AMLA) is designed to become the centrepiece of an integrated system of national AML/CFT supervisory authorities. Read more
EU
Money Laundering
Commission Presents AML/CFT Reform Proposals
On 20 July 2021, the Commission presented an ambitious package of legislative proposals that are designed to overhaul the EU’s anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) rules. The package includes the creation of a new EU AML/CFT authority, an EU single rulebook for AML/CFT, and the full application of the EU AML/CFT rules to crypto-currencies. Read more
EU
Money Laundering
EAW e-Learning Course: Implementing EAW and Promoting Human Rights
Partners of the AWARE network developed an e-learning course on “Implementing the European Arrest Warrant (EAW): Promoting Human Rights”. The course is designed for judges and prosecutors (estimated duration: 5h). A circumscribed version is aimed at judicial practitioners, including lawyers, NGOs, academia and researchers … Read more
EU
Fundamental Rights
European Arrest Warrant
Judicial Cooperation
Study Backs EP Position: Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation Must Be Triggered Immediately
In a legal opinion, published on 7 July 2021, experts call on the Commission to trigger the new Rule of Law Conditionality Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2020/2092 with respect to Hungary. They presented a draft written notification by means of which the Commission can initiate the procedure to suspend EU funds pursuant to Art. 6 of the Regulation. Read more
EU
Fundamental Rights
Rule of Law
Protection of Financial Interests
EP: Corruption Must Lead to Restrictive Measures against Third Countries
In a resolution of 8 July 2021 on the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime (EUGHRSR, also called the EU Magnitsky Act → eucrim 4/2020, 258), the European Parliament called on the Commission and the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and … Read more
EU
Fundamental Rights
Corruption
EP: Budget Conditionality Mechanism for Rule-of-Law Breaches Must Be Launched Immediately
The European Parliament increased pressure on the European Commission to apply the budget conditionality regulation of 16 December 2020. MEPs reiterated in a resolution adopted in plenary on 8 July 2021 that guidelines currently being developed by the Commission are unnecessary. Parliament will continue preparations to sue the Commission for “non-action”. Read more
EU
Rule of Law
Protection of Financial Interests
EPPO: First Major Corruption Case Investigated
On 16 July 2021, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) informed that it started a criminal investigation against four Croatian citizens being allegedly involved in a corruption scheme. It is presumed that the mayor of a Croatian city received bribes from a company manager in … Read more
EU
European Public Prosectutor's Office (EPPO)
Corruption
EPPO: First Results
Six weeks after the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) started its operational and investigative activities, the body took stock of its work. In a brief press release dated 16 July 2021, the EPPO informed the public that it processed more than a thousand reports … Read more
EU
European Public Prosectutor's Office (EPPO)
Protection of Financial Interests
Commission Launches Action against Italy for Non-Compliance with Prüm Legislation
On 15 July 2021, the European Commission referred Italy to the CJEU for the country’s failure to comply with the requirements for the exchange of information on terrorism and serious crime cases in accordance with Council Decisions 2008/615/JHA and 2008/616/JHA – the so-called “Prüm Decisions”. … Read more
EU
Police Cooperation