Organised crime that involves illicit drugs is viewed as the ‘most serious security threat facing Europe today, and the situation is escalating’ (p. 1).1  On 18 October 2023, the European Commission adopted the EU Roadmap to fight drug trafficking and organised crime.1 The roadmap is aligned with the European Commission’s ongoing implementation of the European Union (EU) Strategy on Organised Crime 2021-2025,2 and the EU Drugs Strategy and Action Plan 2021-2025, 3,4 hereafter called the EU strategies.

EU strategies and response

The EU strategies outline several ‘holistic EU polices’ that aim to target these threats (p. 2), such as:

• Evaluating the implementation of the EU drugs strategy.
• Several legislative proposals were put forward to enhance EU legislation. These include: 
• The EU Strengthening Asset Recovery and Confiscation Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/1260)
• Amendment to Directive 2019/1153 enabling authorities to access central bank account registries, thus enhancing financial investigations
• Strengthening the EU’s anti-money laundering rules
• Reform of EU Customs Union
• EU rules on combatting corruption.
• Law enforcement capabilities.
• The EU’s judicial response improved by establishing the European Public Prosecutor’s Office.
• The European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drugs Addiction (now the European Union Drugs Agency) mandate has been strengthened.
• Developing the European Drug Alert System will inform national authorities of when new drugs will enter the market. (p. 3)
• The European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Crime Threats (EMPACT) which supports EU Member-State internal security is now permanent due to additional funding. (p. 3)

Priority actions

Increasing numbers of criminals are adapting to new opportunities to make money. In addition, they also benefit from enhanced societal interconnectedness, and technological advancements (p. 5).1 In light of the ongoing changes within this context, it is considered vital that key agencies such as the European Commission, High Representative, European Parliament, the Council and EU Agencies and bodies combine their efforts around priority areas which have been identified for increased action. Such areas include the following:

1   Logistic hubs within the EU and non-EU countries need to be strengthened in order to overcome vulnerabilities that leave them open to criminal exploitation. Actions include mobilising the customs community against drug trafficking (p. 7); strengthening law enforcement operations in ports (p. 9); and a public-private partnership against drug smuggling and criminal infiltration (p. 11).1

2   Law enforcement and judicial authorities require increased capabilities, thus enabling them to dismantle, disrupt and confiscate profits of criminal networks (p. 6). Actions include mapping the criminal networks
that pose the biggest threats to society (p. 11); a network of specialised prosecutors and judges to dismantle criminal networks (p. 12); facilitating financial investigations (p. 12); facilitating digital investigations (p. 13); unlocking the potential of Schengen Information System alerts (p. 15); and work towards a more robust legal framework against organised crime (p. 15).1

3   Prevention is vital in order to ensure that people and businesses are not exploited by criminal networks (p. 6) Actions include preventing organised crime activities through administrative measures (p. 17), combatting the proliferation of designer precursors (p. 18); preventing criminal networks from recruiting children and young people (p. 19); and improving public safety and public health in areas affected by the use and sale of drugs and drug-related crime (p. 20).1

4   International cooperation is viewed as essential in order to disrupt global criminal supply routes, and to support law enforcement and judicial cooperation improvements (p. 6).  Actions include strengthening support to anti-drug trafficking operations in West Africa (p. 21); boosting EU cooperation with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in the fight against organised crime (p. 22); forging alliances to address synthetic drug threats (p. 22) and strengthening law enforcement and judicial cooperation with uncooperative jurisdictions (p. 23).1

5   Since the EU strategies were adopted, the European Commission, EU member states and EU agencies and bodies have worked together and provided support in the fight against crime (p. 24). Actions have included building a multidisciplinary community of policy-makers and practitioners through frequent dialogue. The European Commission aims to continue working with key stakeholders to implement the organised crime strategy and the actions identified in this communication, with the aim of exchanging best practice, sharing information and operational cooperation and reflecting on future needs (p. 24). EU funding for 2023–2025 will be set aside to support the fight against organised crime.1

Conclusion

The roadmap outlines key actions that are required at EU level to intensify the fight against criminal networks and drug trafficking.1 The European Commission committed to further actions in 2024 and 2025, in collaboration with EU member states and EU agencies. The European Commission called on the European Parliament and Council to ‘fully endorse the priorities and medium- to long-term measures set out in this roadmap’ (p. 25).1

1    European Commission (2023) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council on the EU roadmap to fight drug trafficking and organised crime. Available from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52023DC0641

2    European Commission (2021) Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the EU Strategy to tackle Organised Crime 2021-2025. Available from:  https://sherloc.unodc.org/cld/uploads/res//treaties/strategies/european_union/

3    European Union (2021) EU Drugs Strategy 2021-2025 2021/C 102 I/01 INTRODUCTION – Aim, foundations and approach. Official Journal of the European Union. Available from:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52021XG0324(01)

4    European Union (2021) EU Drugs Action Plan 2021-2025 2021/C 272/02. Official Journal of the European Union, ST/9819/2021/INIT. Available from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A52021XG0708%2801%29