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Source: NATO
On 29 November 2024, the Director General of the European Union Military Staff (DGEUMS), Lieutenant General Michiel van der Lann welcomed the Director General of the NATO International Military Staff (DGIMS), Lieutenant General Janusz Adamczak and his team to the EEAS Schuman Building for the 22nd iteration of the bi-annual EUMS-IMS Directors’ General Conference.
Source: Eurojust
28 November 2024|
On 27 and 28 November, Eurojust hosted its annual counter-terrorism meeting, which gathered specialised prosecutors and other experts from EU Member States and third countries, as well as representatives from EU institutions, to discuss the latest challenges and share best practices in combatting terrorist threats.
The meeting was opened by Mr Michael Schmid, Eurojust President, and Mr Baudoin Thouvenot, National Member for France and Chair of the Eurojust Counter-Terrorism Team. Mr Bartjan Wegter, the EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator (EU CTC), and representatives from the European Commission highlighted that counter-terrorism is a standing priority for the EU and presented key relevant policy and legislative developments on this issue. In a context where the terrorist threat is increasingly complex and multifaceted, participants also discussed the scope of terrorism and the acts that may lead to it.
On the second day, the meeting enabled attendees to share views, experiences and practical examples on how to tackle a range of terrorism related challenges, particularly those linked to propaganda, radicalisation and the growing role played by minors.
On the margins of the meeting, President Schmid and Mr Thouvenot met with Mr Wegter to discuss ongoing and future cooperation.
Source: NATO
From 26 to 27 November 2024, NATO’s Cooperative Security Division of the International Military Staff (IMS) met with a delegation from the African Union Commission (AUC) in Brussels for the ninth iteration of NATO and African Union (AU) Military-to-Military Staff Talks.
Discussions centred on:
The Director of NATO’s Cooperative Security Division of the IMS, Major General Dacian Tiberiu Șerban, officially opened the meeting and welcomed the Head of the African Union’s Political Affairs, Peace and Security Department, Peace Support Operations Division, Brigadier General Cheick Fanta Mady Dembele, and his staff to the Staff Talks. He emphasised that “in an increasingly complex global security landscape, marked by ongoing conflicts and crises, international cooperation is more crucial than ever”. Major General Serban also highlighted that “NATO-AU cooperation offers a unique opportunity to address these challenges through shared expertise and commitment to peace, security, and mutual prosperity”. The NATO Summit in Washington last July reaffirmed the importance of this partnership and endorsed an Action Plan to strengthen NATO engagement in the Southern Neighbourhood.
Brigadier General Dembele thanked NATO for the warm welcome and stressed the importance of recognising that no single crisis is confined to a single country. The General underlined that the current paradigm “African solutions to African problems” should be changed as they are “African solutions to peace and security challenges in Africa”.
The military talks began by discussing the progress achieved since the previous iteration in Addis Ababa at the AUC Headquarters in June 24. During this meeting, a strategic overview on AU Peace Support Operations and prospects for the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719 was provided by the AUC representatives. “NATO can share its expertise with the AUC to support operational and strategic levels planning of operations and the development of related policies to ensure the efficient use of resources and their effectiveness” said Major General Serban in his comments.
With regard to the ongoing Strategic Lift (STRATLIFT) support that NATO provides to the AU mission in Somalia, Major General Serban ensured that such support will likely continue even after the transition from the current mission (African Union Transition Mission to Somalia – ATMIS) to the new one (African Union Support and Stabilisation Mission to Somalia – AUSSOM), This is subject to a AUC dedicated request. “STRATLIFT support is a crucial component of the NATO-AU Partnership,” Major General Șerban added.
NATO IMS representatives delivered detailed presentations on NATO Lessons Learned and the NATO standardisation processes and International Staff Operation Division Representatives presented on the NATO Defence and Related Security Capacity Building Initiatives for the United Nations and Mauritania, illustrating mutual benefits and opportunities. All topics which captured the interest of the AUC delegation.
The ensuing discussion focussed on the role and activities of the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre and its support to NATO partners in building their capacity to deal and manage natural and man-made disasters. NATO and AUC representatives also discussed potential NATO support in providing capacity building through the NATO education and training network, including the NATO School Oberammergau and the Partnership Training and Education Centres. Mutual participation in NATO and AU exercises was also discussed as well as the possible provision of NATO Subject Matter Experts for the development of AU policies and concepts in different areas such as Counter Improvised Explosive Devices, Climate Change and Security, Counter Terrorism, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Operations, Human Security and others. Finally, a representative from the NATO Strategic Direction-South Hub underscored the importance of the Hub and how it can potentially support the AUC.
From the meeting, a list of concrete actions and decisions was drawn up. Closing the Staff Talks, Major General Șerban and Brigadier General Dembele jointly expressed their mutual gratitude for the insightful briefings and presentations at the Staff Talks. Major General Șerban committed to deepening NATO’s military partnership with the AUC. “By working together in a spirit of cooperation and mutual understanding, we can make a tangible difference in advancing peace, security, and stability,” he said. General Dembele expressed a similar sentiment, stating “this is an important milestone for the decisive enhancement of our cooperation”.
NATO’s relationship with the African Union began in 2005 and is based on parity, mutual respect and reciprocity. NATO remains committed to expanding its relationship with the African Union as part of NATO’s efforts to work more closely with Partners in tackling security challenges emanating from NATO’s Southern Neighbourhood.
The next military staff talks will be held in October 2025 at the AUC Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Source: Europol
The investigation focused on several interlinked criminal groups that were smuggling migrants from the Indian sub-continent (India, Sri Lanka and Nepal) to Europe, the United Kingdom and North America. The smugglers facilitated migrants’ travel to the EU via Dubai or different African countries using unlawfully obtained tourist, work or medical visas. Migrants would be charged between EUR 15 000 and…
Source: Europol
The investigation was led by the German authorities with the support of the Netherlands and Europol. Over the past few months, the authorities involved joined forces within the framework of an Operational Taskforce (OTF) set up at Europol to gather intelligence and coordinate the operational activities. On 23 November, a 57-year-old Turkish citizen was arrested in Albania. Several residential and…
Source: Eurojust
While new legislative initiatives such as the EU Digital Services Act, the EU Electronic Evidence legislative package and the Second Additional Protocol to the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime signal progress, the process of accessing cross-border digital evidence across borders remains complex. Judicial cooperation remains slow and cumbersome, while voluntary cooperation with service providers, though faster, lacks legal certainty.
From the perspective of law enforcement, Single Points of Contact (SPoCs) continue to play a crucial role in improving compliance rates with requests for data and facilitating faster exchanges. The report also highlights the growing importance of training for EU law enforcement on electronic evidence, though structural challenges remain, particularly around lengthy judicial cooperation processes and fragmented company policies.
For judicial authorities, the introduction of the EU Electronic Evidence legislative package is expected to provide more efficient tools for cross-border data access, enhancing their ability to gather and retain vital electronic evidence. However, concerns persist over the lack of an EU-wide data retention framework, which could lead to the loss of critical information needed for investigations.
The report also includes the perspective of service providers, who have seen an increase in data requests but note improvements in public-private cooperation. Key challenges, such as overly broad data requests and misunderstandings about their services, are highlighted as issues that can be addressed through better communication and educational efforts. Service providers, in particular, are focused on and eagerly welcome the upcoming implementation of new EU laws.
In light of these findings, the report concludes offering key recommendations for stakeholders, urging EU law enforcement and judicial authorities to enhance training and prepare for upcoming legislative changes. Service providers are encouraged to engage proactively with the SIRIUS Project and prepare for compliance with the new regulations.
The 2024 EU Electronic Evidence Situation Report, based on direct exchanges with key stakeholders, serves as an essential resource for all stakeholders, public and private, navigating the evolving landscape of cross-border access to electronic evidence in the EU. Building on its existing expertise, the SIRIUS Project will continue to support the daily efforts of law enforcement, judicial authorities, and service providers during its third phase, set to begin next year, while also keeping policymakers informed about the persistent challenges they face.
Source: Europol
The Working Arrangement provides a legal framework for the negotiation of related implementing agreements, such as the SIENA Memorandum of Understanding or the Liaison Agreement. If established, a SIENA connection would allow law enforcement authorities from Singapore to be connected with over 3 000 law enforcement agencies from over 70 countries, facilitating both bilateral communication with or without the involvement…
Source: Europol
The investigation revealed that the criminal network used the same modus operandi and, in part, also the same organisation and infrastructure as the perpetrators previously investigated under Operation Admiral. Announced in November 2022, the investigation is considered the largest VAT fraud ever uncovered in the EU, with damages now estimated at EUR 2.9 billion.The EPPO established links between individuals and…
Source: Europol
First presented at the SIRIUS Annual Conference to an audience of EU law enforcement and judicial authorities, policymakers, and representatives of service providers, the report reflects on the evolving legislative framework and the growing reliance on electronic data in criminal investigations, while highlighting the persistent barriers to effective cooperation in accessing electronic data across borders for investigation and prosecution of…
Source: Eurojust
Authorities have struck a blow at illegal streaming networks, by shutting down one of the world’s largest illegal service. Eurojust and Europol supported the operation, which involved cooperation between Italian, Croatian, Dutch, Romanian, Swedish, Swiss and UK authorities. In a large-scale operation, over 100 searches were carried out against 102 suspects. Eleven suspects are arrested in Croatia.
The suspects illegally distributed material from streaming services online, including films and series. They also pirated more than 2 500 television channels such as sports channels. The illegal service served more than 22 million users worldwide. They were able to make over EUR 250 million in illegal profits per month. The economic damages to the copyright holders of the material is estimated at EUR 10 billion.
To evade authorities, the suspects allegedly used encrypted messaging services to communicate and false identities to register phone numbers, credit cards, server rentals and television subscriptions. On 26 November, during an international operation, the servers hosting the illegal streaming were seized and shut down, disrupting the services.
Collaboration between authorities was set up at Eurojust to take down the streaming service. Coordination meetings at Eurojust’s headquarters allowed authorities from Italy, Croatia, the Netherlands, Romania, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom to work together on the investigation and plan the operation to shut down the service and arrest the suspects. Europol supported the operation by deploying experts and analysing the available intelligence during the investigation phase.
The cooperation between the authorities culminated in a joint operation to take down the services on 26 November. During searches in Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, Croatia, the United Kingdom and China, over EUR 1.6 million in cryptocurrency and EUR 40 000 in cash was seized. Croatian police arrested 11 suspects.
The authorities involved in the actions were: