14/01/2026 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 13 January, the European Commission launched a public consultation aimed at establishing new rules to combat serious and organised crime. In particular, it proposes to review the definition of a criminal organisation, the offences and penalties targeting their members, as well as investigative tools and the use of “collaborators of justice” witnesses. The overall aim is to harmonise Member States’ capabilities to respond to these threats and to step up cross-border cooperation in this area, in line with the ‘ProtectEU’ internal security strategy presented in April 2025 (see EUROPE 13612/13). “The threat posed by transnational organised crime simply cannot be combated without such cooperation,” the Commission stresses in its call for evidence, deploring the fact that criminal networks “have grown in power, violence and sophistication”. Open until 10 April, the consultation is intended to provide input for a legislative project expected by the end of 2026. Link to the consultation: https://aeur.eu/f/k8r (JM)