Organised Crime: Common European roadmap needed if EU wants to combat mafias

Mid-term report by the Special Committee on organised crime, corruption and money laundering approved in European Parliament

"No EU Member State is immune to the presence of organised crime and its activities on their territory. This has become a European challenge that we must face and fight together", said Salvatore Iacolino MEP, Standing Rapporteur for the Special Committee on organised crime, corruption and money laundering, on the sidelines of the vote on his mid-term Report.

“In the Report approved today with a large majority and with the support of all political Groups, we have identified the priorities needed to create a roadmap for the effective combating of criminal phenomena in Europe and worldwide.”

"Establishing at European level the concept of crime for organised crime association represents a decisive political opportunity. This will require specific legislative provisions which currently only exist in Italy. We cannot think of fighting transnational crimes without beginning with the harmonisation of Member States' laws.”

"Organised crime profits from illegal activities and therefore tends to infiltrate the legitimate economy through new activities such as illegal online gambling and illegal sports betting. For this reason, we have to think of the crime of sports’ manipulation.”

“The European and transnational dimension of organised crime requires the strengthening of police and judicial cooperation with third countries, now possible with the Lisbon Treaty.”

“We need to strengthen - at European level - legislation that allows the confiscation of criminal assets providing their re-use for social purposes”, explained Salvatore Iacolino MEP.

"There are several areas on which we need to focus: we need to strengthen new technologies to better tackle cyber crime; we have to provide more rigorous legislation on the security of public procurement in order to exclude those convicted of criminal activity; we have to educate political parties on the concept of responsibility through a strict ethical code together with legislation against vote trading as well as money laundering and self-laundering.”

“We have to intensify the fight against corruption which costs around €770 billion a year globally - €120 billion in Europe alone. This diverts abundant resources which could be used for growth and development, especially in these times of deep economic and financial crisis.”

“Organised crime is a transnational crime and a threat to European citizens, the European economy, its businesses and institutions. For this reason, we need to fight it through the creation of positive cooperation at European level and with third countries, tax havens included”, concluded Salvatore Iacolino MEP.