Organized crime must be tackled at EU level

A two day ALDE hearing addressing “an EU strategy to fight transnational organized crime” concluded today. It brought together the competent European, national and international institutions, experts and judges to analyse the current obstacles and weaknesses of the existing regulatory framework in order to find possible solutions.

ALFANO_90.jpgALDE MEP Sonia Alfano (Italia dei Valori, Italy), rapporteur for the European Parliament on “Organized crime in the European Union” said: “Organized crime has been underestimated for far too long. We are comforted by an increasing awareness of the necessity of a common European strategy, in spite of political and territorial borders and experiences.”

“During the last two days a consensus has emerged around the need to improve and strengthen, in an interdisciplinary way, the existing legal framework to combat a rapidly growing and adapting organized crime network which knows no borders. European Member States should engage in more cooperation and coordination, Europol and Eurojust should be reinforced and appropriate funds should be allocated to meet this challenge” continued Alfano.

“A recognition of mafia association as a crime, the protection of victims and of witnesses at European level would be a first huge step towards our common fight. And this is what we are aiming at.” she concluded.

Note to editors:

Alfano’s report will be presented at the next Civil liberties Committee meeting on11-12 April 2011.