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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
Thomas Wahl
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
EPPO Concluded Working Arrangement with European Commission
The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and the European Commission signed a working agreement. The agreement implements Art. 103(1) of Council Regulation (EU) 2017/1939, which provides that the EPPO shall establish and maintain a cooperative relationship with the European Commission for the purpose of … Read more
EU
Commission
OLAF
Protection of Financial Interests
Operation OPSON X: Over 15.000 Tonnes of Illegal Food and Beverages Taken off the Market
On 22 July 2021, Europol, Interpol and OLAF reported on the successes of operation “OPSON X”. This operation, which is carried out each year, targets trafficking of counterfeit and substandard food and beverage. For operations in previous years →eucrim 2/2020, 80 and eucrim … Read more
EU
OLAF
Europol
Counterfeiting & Piracy
OLAF-Assisted Operation Dismantles Organisation Smuggling Refrigerant Gases
Within the framework of the biggest operation against trafficking of refrigerant gases (Operation Verbena), Spanish authorities were able to dismantle a criminal organisation that illicitly traded and smuggled the gases. The business is lucrative since the import of refrigerant gases (also called F-gases … Read more
EU
OLAF
Environmental Crime
Joint Action Day “Arktos 3”
During the Joint Action Day “Arktos 3” carried out in June 2021, law enforcement authorities in seven EU Member States succeeded in seizing more than 6.7 million cigarettes, and 2.6 tonnes of raw tobacco, along with half a tonne of illegal drugs. 15 smugglers were … Read more
EU
OLAF
Europol
Eurojust
Frontex
Tax Evasion
OLAF Helps Knock Down Rum Smugglers
With the support of OLAF, law enforcement authorities in Spain, the Netherlands, Honduras, and Guatemala succeeded in stopping the activities of a criminal group that smuggled fake rum from Central America via the Netherlands to Spain. OLAF reported on 6 July 2021 that the network … Read more
EU
OLAF
Tax Evasion
OLAF Supported Strike against Illegal Cigarette Production
On 22 July 2021, OLAF reported on a successful strike against a criminal network that illegally produced and sold cigarettes. The operation dubbed “Alecrín” mainly involved Spanish and Portuguese law enforcement authorities and already started in 2019. Targeted enforcement activities were carried out between May … Read more
EU
OLAF
Tax Evasion