Crime proceeds, cultural heritage and drugs at EU Informal Council in Nicosia

“We consider it very important that the European Union unifies the forces to control the digital space,” she said.
The recovery of proceeds from crime, the return of illegally trafficked cultural goods and alternative approaches for young drug users will be at the centre of discussions on Friday at the Informal Council of EU Justice and Home Affairs Ministers taking place in Nicosia, under the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Opening the meeting, Cyprus Minister of Justice and Public Order, Costas Fytiris, said that the first item on the agenda was strengthening the ability to recover assets derived from criminal activities in a constantly evolving economic environment. He added that Ministers would also discuss restoring justice in cases of illegal cross-border trafficking of cultural goods, with particular emphasis on the return of cultural property that has been unlawfully removed. The meeting will conclude with a working lunch dedicated to promoting alternative treatment for young drug users who encounter the criminal justice system.
In doorstep statements upon arrival, EU ministers stressed the link between organised crime, drug trafficking, digital platforms and violence. Estonia’s Minister of Judicial and Digital Affairs, Liisa-Ly Pakosta, stressed the need for coordinated European action in the digital sphere, saying,
“We consider it very important that the European Union unifies the forces to control the digital space,” she said.
She noted that young people increasingly use digital platforms to access drugs and called for stronger EU oversight of large social media companies. Referring to cultural heritage, Pakosta said. “We need a unified action to get back the cultural heritage to the countries where the cultural heritage belongs and where it is part of the identity,” she added, citing Estonia’s unresolved claims for cultural property taken by Russia during and after the Second World War, as well as similar cases concerning Ukraine.
Belgian Minister of Justice Annelies Verlinden thanked the Cypriot Presidency for placing drug trafficking high on the agenda, warning that criminal networks are fuelling violence and increasingly exploiting young people.
“We see that there is an increase in the level of violence,” she said, adding that youngsters are being drawn into the operations of drug cartels. Verlinden highlighted the difficulty of confiscating criminal assets, noting that “188 billion euros are circulating in the criminal work and only 2% of these illegal profits are being seized,” and stressed the need for the EU to target the financial foundations of organised crime in order to dismantle its business model.
Spain’s Minister of the Presidency, Justice and Relations with Parliament, Félix Bolaños, also addressed the meeting, expressing satisfaction with his participation in the informal Council in Cyprus and thanking the Cypriot authorities for their hospitality. He also conveyed condolences on behalf of the Spanish government to the families of the victims of the recent railway accident in Adamuz and wished a speedy recovery to the injured, noting that efforts to clarify the causes of the incident and restore services are ongoing.
Source: CNA