David McAllister MEP: Combatting organised crime

The EPP group’s priority is to protect our citizens from criminals.

Organised crime in the EU is thriving. It is a serious threat to the security of the EU and to citizens’ safety. It is dangerous, destructive and deadly. It disrupts ordinary people’s lives, and threatens businesses and economic growth. It costs society hundreds of billions of euros and disrupts the rule of law and the functioning of our democracies.

Criminal gangs operate too easily across borders. At least 70 percent of gangs in the EU are active in at least three countries and 50 percent of the gang members are not EU citizens. Their business models thrive on the lack of coordination between Member States.

The EPP Group is pushing for fifty concrete proposals to combat organised crime with the full force of the law.

We want to make Europol an operational police force mandated to start criminal investigations into cross-border organised crimes that pose a serious threat to the internal security of the Union.

Member States and third countries must cooperate better and share more information. Ensure effective control over our borders to combat trafficking and smuggling networks. Police officers and law enforcement must have all operational and investigative tools needed to combat organised crime.

We cannot afford to turn a blind eye to the threat of cross-border organised crime. Criminals must be brought to justice.