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Image header Agence Europe
Europe Daily Bulletin No. 12463
Contents Publication in full By article 15 / 34
EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19 / Justice

Europol participates in arrest of man implicated in scam involving masks and hand sanitisers

07/04/2020 (Agence Europe) – On Monday 6 April, Europol announced the arrest of a 39-year-old man in Singapore on suspicion of involvement in money laundering offences linked to several scams exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic. The suspect was impersonating an existing business and advertising, via e-mail, the prompt delivery of protective masks and hand sanitisers. A European pharmaceutical company, not named by Europol, was defrauded of EUR 6.6 million by this individual. Once the company transferred the funds to a bank in Singapore, the order never arrived and the supplier became unreachable. Europol states that it immediately contacted the authorities in Singapore to block the payment. The Singaporean authorities were able to identify the man who received the funds and arrested him on 25 March. (MF)

Contents

EU RESPONSE TO COVID-19
EUROGROUP: difficult negotiations on new measures to complete pandemic crisis arsenal
EMU: excluded from decision-making core, European Parliament is trying to protect Community method in EU’s response to pandemic crisis
FINANCE: EU ministers to call on banking sector to play its part in supporting businesses affected by crisis
STATE AID: Commission approves Croatian guarantee scheme for companies affected by coronavirus outbreak
CIVIL PROTECTION: EU deploys European Medical Corps to Italy, a sign of growing solidarity
HEALTH: seat of European Parliament will be used for fight against Covid-19
FOREIGN AFFAIRS: COVID-19, EU ready to mobilise more than €15 billion in aid for non-Member States
TRADE: eight European measures likely to affect international trade are notified to WTO
AGRICULTURE: Commission extends deadline for submitting CAP aid applications by one month
FISHERIES: MEPs call for improvements in measures proposed to help sector in context of COVID-19
CULTURE: Ministers to reflect on idea of adapting Creative Europe to support activities affected by COVID-19 crisis
RESEARCH: MEPs urge EU to use 'new methods' to develop treatment for COVID-19 in short term
TRANSPORT: EASA recommendations on safety of helicopter operations during a pandemic
JUSTICE: COVID-19, more than 40 NGOs launch a joint appeal to protect whistleblowers
JUSTICE: Europol participates in arrest of man implicated in scam involving masks and hand sanitisers
INSTITUTIONAL
EU2020HR: postponement of EU/Western Balkans summit
HUNGARY: thirteen EPP Group delegations in European Parliament call for action against Fidesz MEPs
PARLIAMENT: COVID-19, more than 150 MEPs take action to protect rights of their assistants
EXTERNAL ACTION
UNITED STATES: Twenty-four former NATO ministers, secretaries-general and diplomats call for easing humanitarian trade with Iran
UNITED KINGDOM: EU and UK government will try to redesign timetable for negotiations on post-Brexit relationship
SECTORAL POLICIES
TRANSPORT: Eurocontrol agrees to temporarily defer payment of fees due from airlines
CLIMATE: WWF calls on EU to align economic recovery plans with the European Green Deal
COUNCIL OF EUROPE
COUNCIL OF EUROPE: Ms Pejčinović Burić calls for measures to combat prison overcrowding in times of pandemic
COUNCIL OF EUROPE: EU Commissioner Helena Dalli announces EU 'Strategy' to address Europe's concern about plight of Roma in face of COVID-19
NEWS BRIEFS
HOME AFFAIRS: no meeting of European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties before 23 April
ENERGY: G20 energy ministers to meet via videoconference on April 10
ENVIRONMENT: Council of EU adopted its final position on reuse of waste water for agricultural irrigation purposes
COMPANIES: According to Marc Tarabella, European Commission should suspend consultations with SMEs during COVID-19
MIGRATION: Luxembourg to take responsibility for 12 unaccompanied minors from Greek camps
DIGITAL: Facebook makes user data available to researchers
TRANSPORT: Council gives green light to 'mobility package I'
TRANSPORT: Council adopts Regulation on electronic cargo information
FOOD SAFETY: PAN Europe calls on EU to combat 'pesticide cocktails' in food
Op-Ed
FUTURE OF EU: Now, we are either a Union or we are nothing. By Luca Jahier, President of the EESC