On 24 January, the Commission, together with the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU, launched the European Ports Alliance and its Public-Private Partnership to step up the fight against drug trafficking and organised crime in EU ports.
According to the EU, this partnership aims to bring all relevant stakeholders together, to form solutions to protect ports. Criminals infiltrate ports to organise the passage of illegal goods into the EU. This includes drugs trafficking, one of the most serious security threats faced by Europe today.
Criminal networks are using extreme violence, corruption and intimidation in their search for profits. 500 tonnes of drugs seized by EU Customs in 2022. More than 50% was cocaine. The European Ports Alliance aims to strengthen security in all EU ports:
- with 200 million EUR to fund modern equipment which will help EU Customs officials scan containers and check imports more efficiently;
- through the specific and efficient law enforcement operations in ports with increased cooperation between the Member States, the European Commission, Europol, Eurojust, European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO) and the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT);
- via the Public-Private Partnership which will support port authorities and shipping companies, to protect logistics, information, staff, and processes in ports.
Following the launch, the Public- Private Partnership will meet annually at Ministerial level, to identify remaining challenges, set strategic priorities and exchange on progress made.
