A training seminar on the fight against illicit trafficking and smuggling was held in Rome, Italy, earlier this month, as part of the Euromed Police III Project. Twenty-nine delegates from eight South Mediterranean countries - Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority and Tunisia - attended the seminar.

 

The seminar addressed a number of issues, including:

 

Studying the different kinds of illicit trafficking (apart from well known ones such as drug-trafficking and trafficking in human beings) and smuggling in cigarettes, petrol, medicine, stolen cars, etc. It was emphasised that such criminal activities were booming against the backdrop of globalisation, all the more so as they are at least as profitable as more well known types of trafficking. There was a specific focus on trafficking in antiques and art works, a kind of activity concerning most beneficiary countries.

 

Analysing, based on real cases commented on by different experts from Egypt, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia and Interpol, the different ways of coping with such criminal activities: setting up appropriate legislation, enhancing international cooperation, both bilateral and, even more necessary, international co-operation, in particular thanks to appropriate databases.

 

Attending a demonstration delivered by the Italian national Customs Agency on their watch system on boat traffic in the Mediterranean area and beyond in the whole world, as well as a presentation of the Colosseum Project, which is a database of illegal movements of artworks from EU countries to other EU countries and non-EU countries.

 

Euromed Police III aims to enhance the professional capacities of the police/security services of the Southern Mediterranean countries as well as to develop international police cooperation, between EU member States and Southern Mediterranean countries as well as between Southern Mediterranean countries themselves in the field of combating major aspects of organised crime (terrorism, drugs-trafficking, trafficking in human beings, financial crime, cybercrime, weapons trafficking, smuggling and counterfeiting, risks induced by big events, etc.). Another long term objective is to create a network of police professionals for better cooperation and exchange of good practices and experience. (EU Neighbourhood Info)

 

 

 

Euromed Police III – fiche and news

 

Euromed Police III - website