EU Statement delivered at the opening of the Twelfth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), 14[...]

President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States.  The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina[1]and Georgia, the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Andorra and San Marino, align themselves with this statement.

Let me first warmly congratulate you, President, on your election and thank UNODC for its support to this Conference.

Organised crime, terrorism and violence are on the global rise, affecting nearly all countries and leaving countless victims behind. The UNTOC and its three protocols are therefore more important than ever to prevent and counter such criminal activities and to facilitate international cooperation.

The effective implementation of the UNTOC is however seriously affected by the ongoing wars, conflicts and humanitarian crises. In this context, the EU expresses its grave concern over the alarming situation and escalation in the Middle East. The EU reiterates its strongest condemnation of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and demands Russia to unconditionally withdraw all its troops and military equipment from the entire territory of Ukraine, within its internationally recognised borders.

We are grateful to Executive Director Ghada Waly and UNODC for their active support, professionalism and tireless work around the world to fight and prevent transnational organised crime. The EU is committed to providing strong political and financial support for your work here in Vienna and in the field.

UNODC remains an important and productive platform for multilateral diplomacy also in times of war and conflict, as demonstrated by the successful adoption of the UN cybercrime convention. If ratified by the UN membership, it is a potential game changer to prevent and combat cybercrime, enhance international cooperation and guarantee safeguards for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Indeed, most of the threats we are facing are not only global, but also digital. Criminals and terrorists are using the Internet and other technologies to commit crimes, and also leave digital traces. Access to data and data exchange are therefore essential for police work.

Moreover, generative Artificial Intelligence will soon pose further challenges to our work. The negative potential for crime is unfortunately enormous. We therefore welcome that the UNODC's research team is looking at this emerging issue.

We also welcome that the UN General Assembly has declared 15 November the International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime. We encourage all States to commemorate this international day every year in order to raise awareness and visibility of the important work of UNODC.

President,

As a new European Commission is preparing to take office, the fight against organised crime will remain on top of the European agenda. Let me highlight some of our current priorities:

First, smuggling of migrants. The EU will continue to work with partner countries and key international organisations such as UNODC within the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling launched last year. The focus of this work is to identify actions to prevent, respond to and find alternatives to irregular migration, including addressing the root causes and facilitating legal pathways.

Second, drug trafficking. Drug trafficking remains one of the most profitable sectors for organised crime, with significant health and social consequences. The EU remains committed to working with UNODC and other partners to reduce the flow of illicit drugs and to combat violence associated with drug trafficking. The European Commission will establish a coordinator for the fight against drug trafficking. Initiatives such as the European Ports Alliance are helping to strengthen crucial logistical hubs against organised crime and drug traffickers.

Third, the fight against trafficking in human beings. This crime crosses borders and spans continents. Every two seconds a video or a picture of a raped child is uploaded to the Internet. The revised EU Anti-Trafficking Directive will help prevent the EU from becoming a safe haven, by enhancing prevention, protection and prosecution measures. The EU Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings also provides for a comprehensive response to the crime. Collaboration with third countries is critical to disrupt trafficking networks and improve cross-border law enforcement. We actively support capacity-building especially in countries of transit and origin to address trafficking in human beings and its roots.

Fourth, crimes that affect the environment, such as illegal pollution, waste trafficking, and wildlife crimes are a growing area of concern. The recent EU Environmental Crime Directive defines up-to-date offences and establishes penalties for a range of environmental offenses,as well as aims to strengthen enforcement. The EU is committed to working with partners to address the issue of environmental crimes, and to promote sustainable development practices. We welcome the work of the UNODC, particularly in providing data. We also welcome the initiative of France, Peru and Brazil to present a draft resolution on this topic.

Fifth, asset recovery and financial investigations. The sixth EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive will improve oversight and coordination across the Union. A new European Authority will be established in Frankfurt in 2025 for Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism. In addition, a new EU law on asset recovery linked to organised crime and new EU anti-corruption rules have also been adopted. To successfully fight organised crime, we need to work much more closely with partner countries.

Sixth, the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms that fuel transnational organised crime, terrorism, and conflicts are also very serious issues. We will address firearms in a separate EU statement.

Seventh, prevention and social inclusion, including gender equality are crucial for building resilience. We thank UNODC for engaging the youth. The EU also invests in programmes that address the root causes of organized crime - poverty, inequality, social exclusion, and the lack of opportunities.

We are concerned by the significant delay with the Review of the Implementation of the Convention, and we call on all Parties to make every effort to achieve progress.

Finally, our efforts to implement the UNTOC and its protocols benefit from an active engagement of civil society. Civil society organisations must be given the opportunity to participate in the UNTOC COP and related meetings, as their views and practical experience are truly beneficial for our deliberations.

Thank you.

[1]North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

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