The European Parliament has adopted a package of laws strengthening the EU’s toolkit to fight money-laundering and terrorist financing. The new laws ensure that people with a legitimate interest, including journalists, media professionals, civil society organisations, competent authorities, and supervisory bodies, will have immediate, unfiltered, direct and free access to beneficial ownership information held in […]
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European Parliament extends exemption to EU privacy rules that makes it easier to detect child sexual abuse content on the internet until 2026
On Wednesday Parliament backed prolonging an exemption to EU privacy rules facilitating the detection of child sexual abuse material online until 3 April 2026. With 469 in favour, 112 against and 37 abstentions, MEPs endorsed a temporary extension of the current e-Privacy derogation that allows the voluntary detection, by internet platforms, of […]
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Council gives green light to new legislation toughening penalties and extending the list of environmental offences
The Council formally adopted a directive on the protection of the environment through criminal law. The law will improve the investigation and prosecution of environmental crime offences. The directive establishes EU-wide minimum rules on the definition of criminal offences and penalties. It replaces the previous law which dates back to 2008. The law will only […]
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Europol: 13 victims of human trafficking rescued in Spain
Europol has supported the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) and the Polish Border Guard (Straż Graniczna) in an operation targeting a criminal organisation trafficking human beings for the purposes of sexual and labour exploitation in Spain. The investigation has resulted in 17 arrests and the safeguarding of 13 victims. The suspects were arrested in Madrid, […]
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20th European Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism
Ahead of the 20th European Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism, the Commission issued the following statement: “On the European Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism we honor the memory of all those who have tragically fallen victims to terrorist acts, whether on EU soil or beyond our borders. This year holds particular significance as […]
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Counter terrorism: deal to share air passenger data in advance
The Belgian presidency of the Council and European Parliament negotiators have provisionally agreed on two regulations that govern the collection and use of air passenger data for border management and law enforcement. The new rules will improve the handling of advance passenger information (API) data to perform checks on passengers prior to their arrival at […]
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Fourteen young victims of “lover boys” saved in Spain with support from Europol and Eurojust
The Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) and the Romanian Police (Poliția RomFourteen young victims of “lover boys” saved in Spain with support from Europol and Eurojustână), supported by Europol and Eurojust, have dismantled a criminal network involved in human trafficking for sexual exploitation. The investigation resulted in simultaneous action days in Romania and Spain between […]
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78 involved in large-scale cannabis trafficking arrested in Spain and Italy
The criminal network is linked to more than six tonnes of intercepted shipments of cannabis and hashish. Europol supported the Italian Financial Guard (Guardia di Finanza) and Spanish Regional Catalan Police (Mossos d’Esquadra) in dismantling a large criminal network behind several tonnes of cannabis being trafficked to the EU. The investigation, also supported by Eurojust, […]
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European Commission will adopt EU roadmap to step up fight against drug trafficking and criminal networks
The Commission will adopt an EU Roadmap to step up the fight against drug trafficking and criminal networks, building on the legislative and operational initiatives put forward so far. The drugs trade is one of the most significant security threats faced by the EU today. Seizures of cocaine in the EU are hitting record levels, with 303 tonnes […]
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