Misbruik van publieke fondsen door criminele organisaties moet worden verhinderd (en)

Public funds should be made fully traceable to prevent mafia-style organisations from misusing them, says a resolution approved by the Civil Liberties Committee on Thursday. MEPs also call for a special EP committee to investigate infiltration of the public sector and the legal economy by organised crime.

Organised crime, especially Mafia-style crime, takes advantage of globalisation, the abolition of borders in the EU and differences among EU Member States' laws to make substantial profits and go unpunished. This is possible because criminal organisations have created a support network and consolidated infiltrations into the political world, the civil service and the legal economy, says the resolution.

To prevent misuse of public funds by mafia-style organisations, the committee calls on the Commission to draft rules ensuring that the use of EU funds is fully traceable by the public authorities, the citizens and the press. MEPs devote special attention to local authorities, who "are more liable to infiltration by organised crime", says the text.

The Commission should also draw up legislation to prevent companies linked to organised crime and mafias from taking part in public procurement procedures. Full traceability of financial flows linked to public works, services and supply contracts should be guaranteed in all instances, say MEPs.

EP special committee

MEPs advocate setting up a special EP committee on the spread of cross-border criminal organisations, including mafias. This committee should investigate the misuse of public funds by criminal organisations, their infiltration of the public sector and their "contamination of legal economy and financial system", says the text.

Confiscation of assets and re-use of the proceeds of crime

The resolution says there is an "urgent need" for EU rules to prevent the re-use, for social purposes, of the proceeds of crime, such as court witness protection, so that criminal organisations' capital can be reinserted into legal economic circuits.

The Civil Liberties Committee also calls on the Commission to table, as soon as possible, a legislative proposal on the seizure and confiscation of the proceeds of crime. Any revenue directly or indirectly connected with organised crime should be subject to seizure and confiscation, say MEPs.

Standing for elections and European prosecutor

MEPs suggest laying down rules to ensure that those who have been sentenced for membership of criminal organisation will be unable to stand for European elections. They also call on Member States to introduce similar rules for national and local elections.

The Commission should assess the implications of establishing a European public prosecutor's office and also the likely impact of extending the office's proposed remit to include the fight against cross-border organised crime and corruption (a possibility provided for in the Lisbon Treaty).

The text was adopted with 49 votes in favour and 2 abstentions.

In the chair: Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D, ES)

Rapporteur: Sonia Alfano (ALDE, IT)