While there is no EU army and defence remains exclusively a matter for member states, the EU has recently taken big steps to boost defence cooperation. Since 2016, there has been significant progress in the area of EU security and defence with several concrete EU initiatives to encourage cooperation and reinforce Europe’s capacity to defend […]
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Fighting trafficking in human beings
The Commission is presenting today a new Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings (2021-2025), focusing on preventing the crime, bringing traffickers to justice and protecting and empowering victims. Between 2017 and 2018, there were more than 14,000 registered victims within the European Union. Globally, traffickers make estimated profits of €29.4 billion in a single year. With […]
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Smuggling Network Connected to four deaths at sea dismantled in Spain
The suspects are linked to the smuggling of an important amount of people through the Strait of Gibraltar On 29 March 2021 Europol supported the Spanish National Police (Policía Nacional) in dismantling an organised crime group involved in migrant smuggling from Morocco to Spain through the Strait of Gibraltar. More than 150 police officers were […]
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Europe’s imprisonment rate continues to fall
The overall European imprisonment rate – the number of persons in prison per 100,000 inhabitants – fell again slightly in 2020, consolidating a trend that started in 2013, according to the Council of Europe’s Annual Penal Statistics on Prison Populations for 2020. On 31 January 2020, there were 1,528,343 inmates in 51 prison administrations (out […]
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Myanmar: EU imposes sanctions over recent military coup
The Council today imposed restrictive measures on eleven individuals responsible for the military coup staged in Myanmar/Burma on 1 February 2021, and the subsequent military and police repression against peaceful demonstrators. Ten of the eleven persons targeted belong to the highest ranks of the Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw), including the Tatmadaw’s Commander-in-Chief, Min Aung Hlaing, […]
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EU imposes further sanctions over serious violations of human rights around the world
The Council decided to impose restrictive measures on eleven individuals and four entities responsible for serious human rights violations and abuses in various countries around the world. Together with the listing of four Russian individuals earlier this month, these 15 designations are part of the first broader package of listings under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime. […]
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Successful hit against drug trafficking in the EU
Seven suspects linked to an international criminal network trafficking drugs arrested in Poland The Polish Police Central Bureau of Investigation (Policja) arrested seven suspects allegedly linked to a high-risk poly-criminal organised network operating in different EU countries. Supported by Europol and Eurojust, the arrests follow a two-year-long investigation into an organised criminal group producing, smuggling and […]
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New reports show increasing discrimination and attacks on LGBTI people in Poland and Europe as a whole
A report on a fact-finding mission to Poland in November last year draws attention to increasing attacks and discrimination against LGBTI people in the country, focusing on cities, provinces and regions that are adopting family charters and resolutions against so-called “LGBT ideology”. Another, more general report on “The role and responsibilities of local and regional authorities in the protection of LGBTI persons” denounces the […]
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EU arrest warrant: raise mutual trust to ensure recognition of court decisions
Possible enlargement of the list of offenses that allow for more automatic surrender Concern over prison conditions in certain member states The EU Arrest Warrant is an effective tool against serious cross-border crimes and to bring perpetrators of serious crimes to justice, say MEPs, noting some problems that need addressing. With 45 votes to 14 […]
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