EurojustJun 10, 2022

📢 Great news!

Our Annual Report is now available in all #EU languages:

🇧🇬🇨🇿🇩🇰🇩🇪🇬🇷🇬🇧🇪🇸🇪🇪🇫🇮🇫🇷🇮🇪🇭🇺
🇭🇷🇮🇹🇱🇹🇱🇻🇲🇹🇳🇱🇵🇱🇵🇹🇷🇴🇸🇰🇸🇮🇸🇪

Read the latest on cross-border crime in your preferred language:
🖱️ https://bit.ly/AR2021_Languages

#EJ2021AR

🐦🔗: https://nitter.eu/Eurojust/status/1535173970097496064

Annual Report 2021: 20 years of criminal justice across borders

Eurojust supported 10 105 cross-border criminal investigations in 2021, reaching the highest number of cases ever since operations began 20 years ago. The Agency participated in more than 1 400 large-scale operations and sent nearly 2 000 rapid responses. As a result, drugs worth EUR 7 billion were seized, criminal assets worth EUR 2.8 billion were frozen, and 3 329 suspects were arrested or surrendered.

Eurojust
EurojustMay 24, 2022

🌍 Dismantling networks that take advantage of vulnerable #migrants remains one of our top priorities.

Our work in 2021 on #MigrantSmuggling:
📈 292 cases
💶 11 joint investigation teams
👥 25 coordination meetings

More in our Annual Report 👇
https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/annual-report-2021/migrant-smuggling

#EJ2021AR

🐦🔗: https://nitter.eu/Eurojust/status/1529006040628461568

14. Migrant smuggling

Fighting the criminal networks responsible for smuggling migrants across Europe remains one of the top priorities for the European Union, its Member States and Eurojust. The renewed EU action plan against migrant smuggling (2021-2025) enhances Eurojust’s prominent role, and reinforces the need for cooperation between law enforcement and the judiciary, relevant EU agencies and third countries of origin and transit.  Overview of cases by crime type in 2021

Eurojust
EurojustMay 16, 2022

Our work on #EnvironmentalCrime | Case example #EJ2021AR ⤵️

https://bit.ly/Environmental-Crime

⚖️ #JusticeDone, sentences handed down in #fipronil egg contamination case:

Courts in 🇳🇱 & 🇧🇪 sentenced 5 suspects to prison & ordered them to pay several million 💶 to victims.

Full story 👇

🐦🔗: https://nitter.eu/Eurojust/status/1526108975095218176

17.2. Case examples illustrating Eurojust’s work on environmental crime

Massive metal waste fraud in Italy halted with Eurojust support Crime: Between 2018 and 2021, more than 18 000 tonnes of metal waste was illegally sold and processed in regularly operating foundries, leading to health risks and disturbed market competition for legally operating businesses. Fake certificates, declarations and invoices provided by fictitious companies in Slovakia, Hungary, Turkey, Egypt, Pakistan, China and Malaysia enabled the purchase of the metal 'off the books'. Action: In March 2021, an action day involving 60 searches in Slovakia and Hungary took place to disrupt years of environmental crime and EUR 130 million worth of waste metal fraud. Result: 15 suspects were arrested in Italy and Slovakia for the illegal trafficking of metal waste, money laundering and the issuance of fake invoices and documents. Computer equipment, electronic devices and documents were seized. Eurojust's role: Eurojust coordinated the action day, assisted with the execution of EIOs in Hungary and Slovakia and provided support for the arrest of one suspect in Slovakia. View infographic in full size [PDF]

Eurojust
EurojustMay 13, 2022

Joint investigation teams (#JITs) are one of the most successful ⚖️ judicial cooperation tools.

In 2021, we introduced a new scheme for urgent funding to provide faster grants for unforeseen JIT operational activities: https://bit.ly/Joint-Investigation-Teams

Outcomes/stats from #EJ2021AR 👇

🐦🔗: https://nitter.eu/Eurojust/status/1525039428850294785

2.2. Support to 254 joint investigation teams

In 2021, Eurojust provided legal, financial and/or operational support to 254 JITs. 72 JITs were established in 2021, and 182 were ongoing from previous years. The JITs active in 2021 focused on a wide range of crime types, predominantly swindling and fraud, money laundering, drug trafficking and trafficking in human beings. JIT funding In 2021, 104 of the active JITs were also funded by Eurojust, of which 42 JITs were established in 2021. The funding covered costs for travel and accommodation, interpretation and translation, and the transfer of items seized during JIT operations. As part of its JIT funding activities, Eurojust also continued to lend equipment to JITs, such as mobile telephones, laptops, mobile printers and scanners. JITs supported, 2012 - 2021   The budget available for JIT funding in 2021 was EUR 1.16 million to cover the funding needs still affected by the pandemic. In 2021, 182 funding applications were awarded, with no increase compared to 2020 due to the pandemic. To ensure the responsiveness of the JITs funding programme to practitioners’ needs, Eurojust introduced changes to the funding mechanism throughout 2021, including new cost categories and funding without calls for proposals. JITs supported in 20211     1 Eurojust support to JITs includes financial and operational support. Of the 254 JITs supported, 104 were funded by Eurojust. 2 As of January 2022. Due to the ongoing nature of the cases, these figures may change after the reporting period. 3 One JIT can deal with more than one crime type. 4 Crimes against the financial interests of the European Union for which Eurojust retains competence. New cost categories for JITs funding Eurojust extended its financial support to cover new types of costs, including: specialist expertise; purchase of low-value equipment (hardware, software); and travel, accommodation or interpretation costs for victims and witnesses. New scheme for urgent JIT funding Funding without calls for proposals aims to provide faster, targeted short-term grants to urgent and/or unforeseen JIT operational activities, falling outside the scope of the regular Eurojust JIT funding scheme involving calls for proposals. Applications under this new funding scheme may be submitted anytime during the year and are processed quickly. This funding option addresses a need for increased flexibility in the support to cross-border investigations. The new funding scheme was used seven times in 2021. Funds in the amount of EUR 32 610 were awarded and spent on various costs related to urgent operational actions within cross-border investigations. View infographic in full size [PDF]

Eurojust
EurojustMay 10, 2022

Last year's EU Day against Impunity was dedicated to the 🔟 year anniversary of conflict breaking out in #Syria.

Core International Crimes cannot go unpunished. Learn more about this in the #EJ2021AR: https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/annual-report-2021/core-international-crime

This is how we get #JusticeDone ⚖️👇

🐦🔗: https://nitter.eu/Eurojust/status/1523936448017223680

16. Core international crimes

The European Union is strongly committed to the fight against impunity for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. Eurojust and the Genocide Network continue to provide support to prosecutors and judges dealing with these highly complex cases. The Genocide Network Secretariat hosted by Eurojust facilitates cooperation among prosecutors, law enforcement, mutual legal assistance officers and other practitioners across the European Union who specialise in the investigation and prosecution of core international crimes.  Overview of cases by crime type in 2021 16.1. Latest developments Ten years after the outbreak of the armed conflict in Syria, the Genocide Network dedicated the 6th EU Day Against Impunity on 21 May 2021 to recent results and ongoing actions to hold the Syrian regime accountable for crimes committed in Syria, including for the use of torture and chemical weapons against its civilians. To mark the day, a dedicated video was produced, highlighting different perspectives on the work done by the EU and Member States to ensure accountability. In addition to European Commissioner Didier Reynders and Eurojust President Ladislav Hamran, victims, prosecutors, national representatives and members of civil society presented challenges and successes of current and future trials in national courts, addressed victims’ expectations, and explained why justice matters. This annual event offers a platform to raise awareness on the most heinous crimes and the importance of Member State-led investigations and prosecutions – in particular against suspects who are present or reside in the European Union – in preventing impunity. Prosecution of sanctions violations was another key topic addressed by the Genocide Network in 2021. Sanctions, embargos and restrictive measures are political trade restrictions imposed by the United Nations or the European Union. The measures target governments, organised military or paramilitary groups, commercial entities and individuals whose behaviour contravenes international law and present specific threats, such as cyberattacks, proliferation of chemical weapons, terrorism, human rights violations and abuses. Investigating and prosecuting such violations could prove critical in the overall fight against impunity for core international crimes, in particular where corporate actors are involved. Legislation of all EU Member States include administrative or criminal penalties for such violations, though very few individuals or legal persons are effectively held accountable.  On this special day, I want to congratulate the Genocide Network on its excellent work. This shows Eurojust’s role is clearly paying off. Together, we must continue to act and join forces. In the next years, the Commission will reinforce the Agency’s ability to cooperate with new partners in the Middle East. We will continue working on improving cross-border cooperation and ending impunity. Didier Reynders, European Commissioner for Justice, on the occasion of the 6th EU Day Against Impunity for Genocide, Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes, organised by the Genocide Network Secretariat and Eurojust. A recent report published by the Genocide Network demonstrates that prosecuting sanctions violations may provide an alternative or additional path towards accountability for core international crimes. It can assist in establishing a link or nexus needed in some countries for core international crimes proceedings to be initiated under the universal or extraterritorial jurisdiction principle. Looking into sanctions violations may also provide preliminary evidence for wider investigations leading to other forms of interlinked criminality, such as terrorism or illegal trade. For these reasons, sanctions monitoring and the adequate penalisation of sanctions violations should be fully integrated into EU Member States and practitioners’ overall strategies to fight against impunity.   Overview of National Jurisprudence Published: September 2021 Consult Case Law Compendium In 2021, the Genocide Network continued to contribute to the professional development of judicial practitioners. In March 2021, the Network held a webinar hosted by CEPOL, the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Training, on the cumulative prosecution of foreign terrorist fighters. The webinar highlighted the possibilities for law enforcement agencies and judicial authorities to investigate and cumulatively prosecute foreign terrorist fighters for core international crimes and terrorism-related offences. Moreover, in June 2021, the Genocide Network Secretariat and EJTN held a joint webinar on the prosecution of core international crime cases in Europe, directed at EU judges and prosecutors. The webinar presented practical issues and evidentiary challenges, highlighting instruments of judicial cooperation available to practitioners. In November 2021, the Genocide Network also published the latest update of its Case Law Compendium including new convictions rendered by EU jurisdictions against foreign terrorist fighters on cumulative charges.

Eurojust
EurojustMay 6, 2022

#Cybercrime is becoming ever bolder. 🦹

➡️ In 2021, #Eurojust handled 398 cases covering areas like ransomware, AI & encryption.

We also offer several cybercrime reports with insights & advice on how to counter digital threats.

Read more:
👉 https://bit.ly/EJ2021AR_Cybercrime

#EJ2021AR

🐦🔗: https://nitter.eu/Eurojust/status/1522486933410119680

12. Cybercrime

Criminal online activities have recently become much bolder and grown in frequency and number, defrauding private individuals and legitimate enterprises. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly boosted online communications, and criminal networks have stepped up their illicit activities to abuse the internet for large-scale fraudulent schemes. Eurojust’s cybercrime activities spanned many areas in 2021, including ransomware, artificial intelligence, encryption, and cybercrime as a service. Cybercrime products published by Eurojust in 2021 include: the Cybercrime Judicial Monitor, the EU Digital Evidence Situation Report, and the Third report of the observatory function on encryption.  Overview of cases by crime type in 2021

Eurojust
EurojustMay 2, 2022

⚖️➡️💻

Key points of the initiatives adopted in December by the @EU_Commission:

☑️ Digitalisation of cross-border judicial cooperation
🔄 Digital information exchange in terrorism cases
👥 Development of the JITs Collaboration Platform

More: https://bit.ly/Digitalisation-of-Justice

#EJ2021AR

🐦🔗: https://nitter.eu/Eurojust/status/1521040755971743744

19. Digitalisation of justice

Eurojust’s role in the larger system of cross-border judicial cooperation continues to expand as the European Union works to use new digital technologies to improve the efficiency and functioning of justice systems. 2021 was a year to lay solid foundations for several larger projects in this field. 19.1. Preparations for a new Case Management System for Eurojust The Communication on Digitalisation of Justice in the European Union, issued by the Commission in December 2020, endorsed the conclusions of the Digital Criminal Justice Study that the modernisation of Eurojust’s Case Management System is essential for the wider plans on digitalisation of justice in the European Union. Following the recommendation included in the Digital Criminal Justice Study Report, the market research for the selection of the IT tool started in 2021; the selection will be completed by mid-2022. The Commission supported Eurojust with additional funding of EUR 9.5 million in 2021, which will partially cover the costs of implementing the new CMS. 19.2. Link detection and hit/no-hit connections In the future, the link detection services of Eurojust will be enhanced, as the Agency will have hit/no-hit connections in place with the databases of Europol and the EPPO. In 2021 and the coming years, before the new Eurojust CMS is in place, ongoing preparatory work will continue to take place with both partners to ensure that once the technical connections exist, there are clear procedures in place to oversee the use of the connections. With Europol, there is a hit/no-hit pilot planned to start in 2022; with the EPPO the focus of the work done in 2021 was on using the EPPO box tool. Eurojust is also a member of a European Commission Task Force on the hit/no-hit system.

Eurojust
EurojustApr 28, 2022

#Eurojust’s caseload of #OnlineScams has 📈 tripled in size since 2016.

Last year, we published the Eurojust Guidelines on How to Prosecute Investment Fraud, with concrete advice for prosecutors.

Learn more about our support in this field:
👉 https://bit.ly/Online-Investment-Fraud

#EJ2021AR

🐦🔗: https://nitter.eu/Eurojust/status/1519578376176033793

10.1. Swindling and fraud

Online investment fraud is rising sharply, with Eurojust taking on three times as many cases compared to five years ago. To prevent investors and savers from further losing large sums of money via online scams, prosecutors are encouraged to quickly start freezing the bank accounts of the criminal networks behind such schemes. Furthermore, much earlier cooperation with their colleagues in other EU Member States or third countries, combined with the rapid involvement of Eurojust and Europol, can lead to prosecuting fraudsters more effectively. These actions are among the recommendations presented in the Eurojust Guidelines on How to Prosecute Investment Fraud, published in July 2021. Other concrete recommendations provided in the practical guidelines for prosecutors include getting an early insight into the total number of victims to better gauge the scale of the fraud. Moreover, to get justice done, a coordinated approach at national and international level to prevent possible conflicts of jurisdiction is of prime importance. Eurojust’s assistance may be requested at any stage, by any of the judicial authorities involved. The Agency can organise coordination meetings, finance and assist in the setting up of JITs and facilitate cooperation with non-EU countries. Furthermore, it can set up a coordination centre for any particular case to facilitate the simultaneous execution of measures in multiple countries during an action day. Fraudsters often devise complex schemes to avoid VAT payments. These schemes can include so-called front companies and fake sales. A particularly good example of Eurojust’s work in this area is the support it provided to a complex Spanish action against large-scale VAT fraud. This was a very successful case set up in record time, thanks to the reactivity and support of all parties involved. Eurojust was able to set up a coordination centre involving an action day only four days after the case’s first coordination meeting took place. The particular success of this action can be attributed to the rapid response and swift collaboration between Eurojust’s National Desks. For example, the rapid information sharing of the Slovak Desk with the Spanish Desk enabled the Spanish authorities to issue an EAW only two hours after the information was shared. This led to the subsequent successful arrest of one of the suspects in the Netherlands. View infographic in full size [PDF]

Eurojust
European Union Intellectual PrApr 23, 2022

RT @Eurojust: 8⃣1⃣% of our cases in 2021 covered an #EMPACT priority.

The added value of this key 🇪🇺 platform? It brings together multidisciplinary professionals to take concrete actions against criminal networks. 🔗

Read more on #Eurojust & EMPACT:
👉https://www.eurojust.europa.eu/annual-report-2021/judicial-component-eu-security-chain/empact-representing-judicial-considerations

#EJ2021AR

🐦🔗: https://nitter.eu/EU_IPO/status/1517422652016795648

9.3. Representing judicial considerations in EMPACT

The EMPACT (European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats) policy cycle is a security initiative driven by the Member States, and supported by the Commission and Council, to identify, prioritise and address threats posed by organised and serious international crime. EMPACT brings together a broad range of multidisciplinary professionals to take concrete actions against criminal networks. Participants include law enforcement authorities, the judiciary, EU agencies, customs and tax offices.   Eurojust casework and EMPACT priorities The overwhelming majority of Eurojust casework covers crime types included in one or more EMPACT priorities. The chart below shows that 81% of Eurojust cases registered in 2021 covered crime areas falling into a 2022-2025 EMPACT priority. While not all these cases are tackled in specific EMPACT actions, the Agency’s commitment and ongoing efforts to support the fight against the crime priorities identified are clear. Setting up participation in the next policy cycle In 2021, Eurojust worked with national authorities and Europol to prepare the agency contribution to the 2022-2025 EMPACT cycle, ensuring that the judicial dimension is fully represented in EMPACT operational actions (OAs). Eurojust contributed to the EU SOCTA 2021 and participated in planning for operational actions for the upcoming cycle. From 2022, Eurojust will be taking the lead in the OA, focusing on Missing Trader Intra-Community Fraud (MTIC). In addition, Eurojust co-leads several OAs in the following EMPACT priorities: High-risk criminal networks, Cyberattacks, Trafficking in Human Beings and Migrant Smuggling. Eurojust will also continue to support EMPACT joint action days planned for 2022 to make sure that the judiciary can play a role where needed. Communication campaign ‘Prosecuting with EMPACT’ At the end of 2020, the Council tasked Eurojust and the EJN, with Europol’s assistance, to deliver a communication campaign specifically addressing national judicial actors to raise awareness of the EU Policy Cycle/EMPACT and emphasise possible synergies/cooperation areas and examples of cooperation between law enforcement and prosecutors. This campaign, under the title ‘Prosecuting with EMPACT’, reached hundreds of prosecutors in the European Union. Eurojust National Members participated in and organised several events, during which they informed the judiciary from their countries about EMPACT and the possibilities for participation. Eurojust prepared a standard communication package to support these events and published EMPACT-related information on the Eurojust website. Further actions included a presentation to the Eurojust College in June, and in the 57th plenary meeting of the European Judicial Network in October 2021. On 8 September 2021, Eurojust hosted a webinar with the title ‘Prosecuting with EMPACT’. Four presenters from Eurojust, Europol and the European Commission took the floor to show various aspects of EMPACT and possibilities for prosecutors to work with the framework, including a specific Eurojust EMPACT case and the future plans for EMPACT. Overall, the campaign reached hundreds of prosecutors and judicial experts within a short period and laid the foundation for their informed participation in the next policy cycle. Successful taking down of criminal network committing high-volume cargo thefts from lorries – an EMPACT case solved with Eurojust support Crime: A fast and highly mobile OCG performed large-scale cargo thefts from lorries carrying high-end luxury products parked in motorway rest areas in Germany and France. Goods with an estimated combined value of EUR 1.3 million were stolen, transported to Romania and sold via illegal trading circuits. Action: On an action day in November 2021, 34 suspects were charged and 57 places searched in Romania and Germany. Result: The OCG was dismantled and its actions stopped. Eurojust's role: At the request of the Romanian authorities, Eurojust started the coordination of the cooperation with Germany and France. A JIT was set up with support from Eurojust, and coordination meetings were held to discuss prosecution strategies and prepare for the action day. On the action day, a coordination centre was set up. Eurojust facilitated the execution of 12 EAWs.

Eurojust
EurojustApr 22, 2022

8⃣1⃣% of our cases in 2021 covered an #EMPACT priority.

The added value of this key 🇪🇺 platform? It brings together multidisciplinary professionals to take concrete actions against criminal networks. 🔗

Read more on #Eurojust & EMPACT:
👉https://bit.ly/Representing-Judicial-Considerations-EMPACT

#EJ2021AR

🐦🔗: https://nitter.eu/Eurojust/status/1517412364873785344

9.3. Representing judicial considerations in EMPACT

The EMPACT (European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats) policy cycle is a security initiative driven by the Member States, and supported by the Commission and Council, to identify, prioritise and address threats posed by organised and serious international crime. EMPACT brings together a broad range of multidisciplinary professionals to take concrete actions against criminal networks. Participants include law enforcement authorities, the judiciary, EU agencies, customs and tax offices.   Eurojust casework and EMPACT priorities The overwhelming majority of Eurojust casework covers crime types included in one or more EMPACT priorities. The chart below shows that 81% of Eurojust cases registered in 2021 covered crime areas falling into a 2022-2025 EMPACT priority. While not all these cases are tackled in specific EMPACT actions, the Agency’s commitment and ongoing efforts to support the fight against the crime priorities identified are clear. Setting up participation in the next policy cycle In 2021, Eurojust worked with national authorities and Europol to prepare the agency contribution to the 2022-2025 EMPACT cycle, ensuring that the judicial dimension is fully represented in EMPACT operational actions (OAs). Eurojust contributed to the EU SOCTA 2021 and participated in planning for operational actions for the upcoming cycle. From 2022, Eurojust will be taking the lead in the OA, focusing on Missing Trader Intra-Community Fraud (MTIC). In addition, Eurojust co-leads several OAs in the following EMPACT priorities: High-risk criminal networks, Cyberattacks, Trafficking in Human Beings and Migrant Smuggling. Eurojust will also continue to support EMPACT joint action days planned for 2022 to make sure that the judiciary can play a role where needed. Communication campaign ‘Prosecuting with EMPACT’ At the end of 2020, the Council tasked Eurojust and the EJN, with Europol’s assistance, to deliver a communication campaign specifically addressing national judicial actors to raise awareness of the EU Policy Cycle/EMPACT and emphasise possible synergies/cooperation areas and examples of cooperation between law enforcement and prosecutors. This campaign, under the title ‘Prosecuting with EMPACT’, reached hundreds of prosecutors in the European Union. Eurojust National Members participated in and organised several events, during which they informed the judiciary from their countries about EMPACT and the possibilities for participation. Eurojust prepared a standard communication package to support these events and published EMPACT-related information on the Eurojust website. Further actions included a presentation to the Eurojust College in June, and in the 57th plenary meeting of the European Judicial Network in October 2021. On 8 September 2021, Eurojust hosted a webinar with the title ‘Prosecuting with EMPACT’. Four presenters from Eurojust, Europol and the European Commission took the floor to show various aspects of EMPACT and possibilities for prosecutors to work with the framework, including a specific Eurojust EMPACT case and the future plans for EMPACT. Overall, the campaign reached hundreds of prosecutors and judicial experts within a short period and laid the foundation for their informed participation in the next policy cycle. Successful taking down of criminal network committing high-volume cargo thefts from lorries – an EMPACT case solved with Eurojust support Crime: A fast and highly mobile OCG performed large-scale cargo thefts from lorries carrying high-end luxury products parked in motorway rest areas in Germany and France. Goods with an estimated combined value of EUR 1.3 million were stolen, transported to Romania and sold via illegal trading circuits. Action: On an action day in November 2021, 34 suspects were charged and 57 places searched in Romania and Germany. Result: The OCG was dismantled and its actions stopped. Eurojust's role: At the request of the Romanian authorities, Eurojust started the coordination of the cooperation with Germany and France. A JIT was set up with support from Eurojust, and coordination meetings were held to discuss prosecution strategies and prepare for the action day. On the action day, a coordination centre was set up. Eurojust facilitated the execution of 12 EAWs.

Eurojust