Organised Crime: a transnational phenomenon to fight at EU level.

"Today we can say that no EU Member State is immune to the presence of organised crime and its activities on their territory. For this reason, this has become a European challenge that we must face and fight together", said Salvatore Iacolino MEP, Rapporteur for the special committee on organised crime, corruption and money laundering, presenting a first working document on the activity of the special committee of which the contents have been fully shared by all political groups (this is the first ever text on organised crime by the European Parliament).

"To be analysed and effectively fought against, organised crime is a phenomenon that requires thorough knowledge, specific skills and the ability to connect criminal activities."

"The key is to first of all establish at European level the concept of crime for organised crime association. This requires specific legislative provisions that to date, only a few Member States have. We cannot think of fighting transnational crimes without beginning with the harmonisation of Member States' laws by eliminating the boundaries of a crime that is transnational", explained Salvatore Iacolino MEP.

"Today, organised crime is well integrated into the economy. It also operates in parallel with the development of legitimate activities. It penetrates and is now present in regions that until a few years ago, we thought were immune and - especially in times of economic crisis like the one we are experiencing - it finds fertile ground in areas of high unemployment, particularly vulnerable to the recruitment of manpower."

"We have before us a global challenge that we must tackle with legislative measures to which Member States should give priority: the crime of organised crime association at European level; a legislation that allows the confiscation of criminal assets at European level allowing the reuse of them for social purposes; a more rigorous legislation on security of public procurement in order to exclude those having convictions for crimes related to criminal activities; the so-called severe detention at European level; strengthening the activities of the judiciary and of liaison officers; greater communication and strengthening of new technologies; educating political parties on the concept of responsibility by a strict ethical code. Parties should guide their choices in the formation of election lists providing strict criteria for the exclusion of candidates where assessments of opportunities suggest that it is reasonable to do so in respect of the citizens", said Salvatore Iacolino MEP concluding his presentation.