Category: Eurojust

With regards to Justice, Denmark will put a strong focus on combating serious cross-border and organised crime during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Denmark took over the Presidency of the Council from Poland, last week.

Representative for Denmark at Eurojust, Ms Kirstine Troldborg, stated: ‘Having started as Representative for Denmark only a few months ago, it’s a great honour to collaborate with my colleague prosecutors at Eurojust on the Danish EU Presidency. We share common goals, and the fight against serious cross-border and organised crime, which has a serious human and societal impact, is the priority we will work on together, bringing in our specific judicial expertise.’

Fighting serious organised crime was also a priority for the Polish EU Presidency and builds on the work of the European Judicial Organised Crime Network (EJOCN), which is hosted at Eurojust. Established in September 2024, the EJOCN brings together specialised prosecutors to take a more strategic and coordinated approach to combating major organised crime groups, which increasingly operate on a global scale.

The Danish priority of tackling major organised crime will further strengthen and support the work of the EJOCN and cross-border judicial cooperation in this area. Denmark will also focus on strengthening judicial protection and law enforcement authorities’ ability to fight online activities. 

Throughout its Presidency, Denmark will ensure the protection of fundamental rights.

Eurojust has played a pivotal role in returning 66 stolen historic artworks from Italy to Spain. In one case, 65 precious paintings and an altarpiece were returned with the support of European Investigation Orders (EIOs), among other measures.

In an unrelated case, a wooden carved statue, stolen from a church in Palencia, Spain, in 1979, was handed over to the Spanish authorities following its discovery and subsequent investigations in Genoa. Eurojust assisted with the issuance and execution of a freezing order.

The wooden statue depicts the evangelist Saint Luke and dates from the 15th century. It was stolen from the Santa Eugenia de Astudillo church in Palencia, to which it will be returned in due course. After its theft, it was bought by an art collector in Genoa, who was unaware that it had been stolen.

When relatives of the collector put it up for auction in 2022, the theft came to light, and its origin was established as the church in Palencia. Following a freezing order issued by the Spanish authorities and with the support of Eurojust, the restitution procedure began. The statue was formally returned to the Spanish authorities last week.

At the same time, the Italian authorities handed over a series of 65 paintings and an altarpiece to their Spanish counterparts. These artworks were discovered in the villa of a deceased German collector and his wife at Lago Maggiore in Italy. After his death, a foundation initiated civil proceedings to obtain the historic paintings. In 2023, these proceedings led to investigations by the Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage.

These investigations revealed that the artworks had also been stolen and originated from Spain or had Spanish owners. Eurojust provided support in this case through its Italian and Spanish National Desks, assisting with the execution of EIOs and enabling cross-border judicial cooperation.

The investigations and actions relating to the two cases of stolen artwork were carried out by or requested by the following authorities:

• Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Offices (PPOs) of Genoa, Turin and Verbania; Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (Comando Tutela Patrimonio Culturale)
• Spain: Investigative Judge of Court no. 2 of Palencia; Investigative Judge of Court no. 1 of Marbella; Civil Guard – Historical Heritage Section (Guardia Civil – Sección de Patrimonio Histórico)

From 2 to 3 July 2025, Eurojust and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ministry of Justice jointly hosted a successful workshop in Abu Dhabi, marking a significant advancement in the fight against transnational organised crime. The event brought together 25 participants, including prosecutors from all Public Prosecution departments of the seven emirates of the UAE, central authority staff, and representatives from the UAE’s Interpol office. Attendees had the opportunity to exchange best practices, tackle common challenges, and strengthen existing partnership.

The workshop centered on presenting Eurojust’s mandate and activities to UAE counterparts, while discussing the respective roles in international judicial cooperation, cybercrime, money laundering, and asset recovery. Eurojust’s representatives shared their knowledge and experience, emphasizing the critical importance of cooperation and coordination in tackling complex, cross-border crimes. The event also served as a platform for constructive dialogue and knowledge exchange. By exploring ways to enhance collaboration, participants sought to identify opportunities for more effective cooperation between the UAE and EU Member States in combating organised crime.

The workshop is a key deliverable under the framework of the 8th UAE–EU Structural Dialogue on Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT). This dialogue aims to strengthen cooperation between the UAE and the EU in the areas of anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism.

In Abu Dhabi, the Eurojust delegation, led by Vice-President José de la Mata, also took part in several high-level meetings, including discussions with the UAE Minister of Justice Abdullah Al Nuaimi, the EU Ambassador to the UAE Lucie Berger as well as Ambassadors and representatives from EU Member States.

Eurojust’s collaboration with the UAE is part of its broader efforts to strengthen cooperation with third countries, and to promote the rule of law and justice globally. The workshop was supported by the CTJUST project.

Following close cooperation between the French and Romanian authorities, criminals stealing agrochemical products across western France have been stopped in their tracks. The network was also involved in transporting and concealing the stolen goods. During a coordinated action this week, 12 suspects were arrested or identified in both countries.

Eurojust supported the judiciary in both countries by facilitating the execution of European Arrest Warrants (EAWs) and European Investigation Orders and provided further cross-border judicial support.

 The criminal network was well organised and structured, specialising in the theft of fertilisers and pesticides, for instance. The action day in France and Romania targeted three teams of thieves, two carriers and two fences. Three suspects were arrested in France, and nine more were identified in Romania, based on EAWs issued by the French authorities.

Over the past two years, at least sixty farms, agricultural storage facilities and enterprises have been burgled. The value of the stolen goods and the damage caused by the thefts is estimated at EUR 3 million. The thefts were not without risk, as certain products were highly flammable and posed a health hazard if not handled properly. The stolen goods were transported and stored by the network for onward sale via illegal channels in Romania.

Investigations coordinated by the investigative judge of the Interregional Jurisdiction (JIRS) of Rennes in France indicated that a Romanian-led organised crime group was behind the large-scale thefts. In November of last year, the JIRS contacted the French National Desk at Eurojust to arrange for cooperation with the Romanian authorities. Following a coordination meeting at the Agency, joint actions in both countries were organised this week.

In Romania, 17 places were searched, where cash in different currencies was seized, estimated to be worth EUR 200 000. Four vehicles and various quantities of liquid and solid agrochemical products were also seized.

The coordinated action this week was carried out by and at the request of the following authorities:

• France: Investigative Judge JIRS Rennes; Gendarmerie Nationale – Section de Recherches Caen
• Romania: Directorate for Investigating Organised Crime and Terrorism (DIICOT); National Police – Criminal Investigations Directorate

In a significant milestone in the fight against transnational organised crime, a high-level expert workshop was convened in Abuja, Nigeria, on 18 June 2025. The workshop brought together top officials from Eurojust, the Nigerian government, and EU Member States to discuss the judicial cooperation between partners. 

The expert workshop between Eurojust and Nigeria aims to tackle the complex challenges posed by transnational organised crime, particularly in areas such as fraud, cybercrime, and human trafficking, and terrorism. The impact of these crimes is felt in both the EU and Nigeria, with significant consequences for regional security, economic stability, and good governance, underscoring the need for enhanced cooperation and collaboration.

During the workshop, participants could join sessions on the role of Eurojust, judicial cooperation procedures in Nigeria, and challenges to judicial cooperation. The workshop also provided a platform for constructive dialogue and knowledge-sharing. By exploring ways to enhance collaboration, participants aimed to identify opportunities for more effective cooperation between Nigeria and EU Member States in the fight against organised crime.

The workshop is a key event in the implementation of the Working Arrangement, signed between Eurojust and the Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Justice in November 2023. Nigeria is the first sub-Saharan African country to partner with Eurojust, and the working arrangement lays the foundation for structured and closer cooperation.

In Abuja, the Eurojust delegation, led by Vice-President José de la Mata, also participated in several high-level meetings, including with the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the EU and EU Member States Ambassadors and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).

The suspect in a high-profile murder case can be surrendered from Greece to Italy, due to a rapid judicial support action coordinated by Eurojust. Close cooperation via the Agency ensured that a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) could be issued in time, in order to keep the suspect detained in Greece. The detained person is suspected of the murder of an infant girl in the Villa Doria Pamphili park in Rome a week ago.

Investigations indicated an American citizen as the alleged suspect of the murder, which led to public indignation in Italy. The body of the alleged mother of the young child was also found in the park last week, but the cause of her death has not yet been officially ascertained.

The Italian State Police, coordinated by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Rome, managed to trace the suspect travelling to the Greek island of Skiathos last Thursday. In close cooperation with their Italian counterparts, the Greek police were able to apprehend him the following day.

The rapid issuance and timely execution of an EAW were essential to detain the American citizen. This was arranged through close and immediate cooperation between the Italian and Greek National Desks at the Agency, after the national authorities had requested their assistance.

The suspect is currently still in detention in Greece, as he did not consent to a surrender to Italy. The Council of the Court of Appeals of Larissa will decide in the coming days on the procedure regarding his surrender to Italy.

The investigations and actions on the ground were carried out at the request of and by the following authorities:

• Italy: Public Prosecutor’s Office (PPO), Rome; State Police, Rome (Mobile Squad and Central Operations Service); SIRENE Bureau of Italy
• Greece: PPO Court of Appeals, Larissa; PPO Court of First Instance, Volos; Police Department, Skiathos; SIRENE Bureau of Greece