MEPs target organised crime

Earlier this week MEPs approved a European framework aimed at cracking down on organised crime, corruption and money laundering.

Issues covered include:

• Excluding people who are convicted by a final judgment of organised crime, corruption or money laundering from bidding for any public procurement contract anywhere in the EU and barring them from running for or holding any public office.
• Attacking organised crime's assets by abolishing banking secrecy and eliminating EU tax havens. Once seized, using criminal or civil law procedures, these assets should be re-used for social purposes, say MEPs.
• Making legal entities such as holdings and their subsidiaries legally liable to reimburse any public subsidies they have received if they commit financial crimes.
• Increased efforts to combat match-fixing and illegal sports betting, an important source of income for organised crime throughout Europe. New offences and appropriate penalties should be introduced, and vote buying should also be made a criminal offence even when its benefits are intangible.
• The establishment of a European Public Prosecutor’s Office, to coordinate national investigations and combat crimes affecting the EU's financial interests.
• The creation of a single legal definition of mafia-type criminal activity. New legislation to protect witnesses and informers throughout the EU and help them to restart a new life could also improve the fight against mafias, MEPs say.

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