NCJ Number
195383
Date Published
2001
Length
48 pages
Annotation
This report’s intent was to obtain and disseminate information on organized crime in the European Union with a focus on its transnational manifestations and based on contributions from Member States, describing the situation in 2000.
Abstract
Organized crime groups pose a significant threat to the European Union. They are seen as growing more transnational; cooperation between organized crime groups is increasing; large, international organized crime groups extend their operations worldwide; and nationally bound organized crime groups are becoming increasingly involved in international crime at a regional level. To support policymakers and law enforcement decision makers, as well as others, in the fight against organized crime, this report was aimed at gathering and distributing information about organized crime in the European Union with the focus placed on organized crime’s transnational appearances. The report is divided into six sections. In the first section, the situation concerning organized crime in the European Union is discussed with a concentration on organized crime groups, types of crime, and other key organized crime features such as violence and corruption playing key roles within many organized crime groups. Section two addressed the overall patterns and general trends of organized crime. In section three the threat from organized crime is presented and broken down into three main groups: organized crime groups, types of crime, and law enforcement responses. Section four focuses on political and law enforcement initiatives concerning the fight against organized crime at the European Union level. This section provides an essential part of the overall assessment of the situation. Various initiatives are categorized under organized crime in general, types of crime, cooperation and third states, judicial cooperation, and observation concerning the initiatives. In section five, 10 recommendations for consideration are put forth based on the national contributions to the 2000 European Union organized crime situation report (OCSR). In the final section an overview of seven recommendations from the 1999 OCSR and the status of their implementation are presented.