Brussels, 18/09/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 17 September, the special committee on organised crime, corruption and money laundering at the European Parliament adopted unopposed (29 votes in favour, none against, with 8 abstentions), the final report by Salvatore Iacolino (EPP, Italy) containing an European action plan for 2014-2019. This action plan includes measures to crack down on organised crime, corruption and money laundering. Attacking organised crime's financial assets and revenue sources are among the main proposals.
Among the other measures advocated by the special committee is the barring of people convicted of involvement in organised crime, corruption or money laundering from bidding for any public procurement contract anywhere in the EU and from running for or holding any public office. All judgments of this kind should be immediately enforceable in all member states, MEPs add.
To protect the EU's financial interests, it is vital to attack organised crime's assets more effectively, say MEPs, who advocate abolishing banking secrecy and eliminating EU tax havens. Once seized, criminal assets should be re-used for social purposes, they propose. The special committee also argues that “legal entities such as holdings and their subsidiaries should be made legally liable to reimburse any public subsidies they have received if they commit financial crimes”.
MEPs again addressed the issue of match fixing and illegal sports betting and proposed that vote buying be made a criminal offence. MEPs also reiterate their request that a European Public Prosecutor's Office be established to combat crimes affecting the EU's financial interests. Before the summer, the Commission proposed setting up such a body body and called for it to be provided with appropriate human and financial resources.
MEPs are also calling for a single legal definition of “mafia-type criminal activity” that fully covers the phenomenon. New legislation to protect witnesses and informants throughout the EU and help them to restart a new life is also needed, MEPs say. The report will be examined and voted on by the EP during the second October plenary. (SP/transl.fl)