Cross-border cases of trafficking in human beings (THB) are complex and difficult to investigate and prosecute. They reveal the prominent role of organised criminal groups. When gaps in judicial cooperation appear it is the victims of THB who suffer. In October 2020, the European Commission noted in...

Environmental crime is the fourth-largest criminal activity in the world, growing at a rate of between 5 % and 7 % per year, according to an Interpol and UN Environment Programme estimate. This increase, combined with the organised, transnational nature of environmental crime, requires...

With the evolution of the security threat and the changing complexity of terrorist attacks and terrorist activities targeting EU Member States, it has become evident that an efficient judicial response to terrorism often reaches beyond a single jurisdiction. To address challenges efficiently...

There are several factors that make tackling cybercrime unique and challenging. Cybercrime by its nature is borderless and swiftly evolving, sometimes faster than national authorities can react. Adding an additional layer of complexity is the horizontal nature of cybercrime: almost any type of crime...

Sometimes people gain unlawful access to the European Union (EU) through a marriage of convenience. Increasingly, such sham marriages are part of sophisticated fraud schemes arranged by Organised Crime Groups (OCGs). The OCGs engage in migrant smuggling and trafficking of human beings on an...