Communication on the EU Strategy to tackle Organised Crime 2021-2025

Summary:

Communication published by the European Commission on 14 April 2021, setting out a new strategy aimed at fighting against organised crime in the European Union (EU) for the period 2021-2025.

Further information:

The organised crime landscape is characterised by a networked environment where cooperation between criminals is fluid, systematic and driven by a profit-oriented focus. Organised crime groups use their large illegal profits to infiltrate the licit economy and public institutions. The use of violence by criminals involved in organised crime is on the rise in the EU, as is the threat from violent incidents due to the frequent use of firearms or explosives in public spaces.

This strategy builds on past achievements, identifies priority work strands to better protect citizens and the economy from organised crime groups and puts forward medium and long-term actions, to be developed in respect of fundamental rights. It includes actions the aims to:

• Boost law enforcement and judicial cooperation;
• Support more effective investigations to disrupt organised crime structures and focusing on high and specific priority crimes;
• Make sure crime does not pay;
• Make law enforcement and the judiciary fit for the digital age.

The strategy is developed in the framework of the EU Security Union Strategy. It constitutes the first dedicated Strategy on organised crime since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty.

• Primary Source

• Alternative Source

Official

EUR-LEX: SWD(2021)74: Staff Working Document accompanying the Communication - EMPACT, the flagship EU instrument for cooperation to fight organised and serious international crime https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/ALL/?uri=SWD:2021:74:FIN

European Commission: Press Release, 14/04/2021: Fight against organised crime: New 5-year strategy for boosting cooperation across the EU and for better use of digital tools for investigations https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_1662

European Commission: EU Strategy to tackle Organised Crime & EU Strategy on combatting Trafficking in Human Beings: Questions and Answers (14 April 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/qanda_21_1664

European Commission: Press remarks by Vice-President Schinas on EU Strategies to tackle Organised Crime and fight Trafficking in Human Beings (14 April 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/speech_21_1745

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