Brussels, 27/02/2003 (Agence Europe) - During the debate on organised crime in the Western Balkans, on Thursday afternoon during the Justice and Home Affairs Council, the Greek Presidency announced that it would be presenting a proposal, during the informal Council of 28 and 29 March in Veria, aimed at involving Europol in the fight against organised crime in the Balkans. Aware of the consequences of this scourge on the EU, the delegations (all except France which did not speak during the debate) and the European Commission urged for a global and multidisciplinary strategy that would not be restricted to policing measures.
The Greek Presidency and Italy have called for greater financial resources. According to the Presidency, it must be recognised that the programmes under way lack the EU's political will towards the region. Italy (which will be taking over the Presidency of the Council of the EU in June) assured it would apply the same attention to the Balkans as the Greeks and announced police training seminars. In order to assess progress, Belgium, Austria and Germany are suggesting establishing roadmaps on changes in organised crime in the Balkans. Italy and Austria feel that of the four scourges afflicting the area (drugs trafficking, the trafficking of human beings, money laundering and corruption), the priority should be given to tackling the drugs trade. The UK, Austria and the Netherlands highlighted the responsibility of the leaders of the countries in question, with Germany criticising Albania for failing to make the necessary commitment to ensure the centre for combating trafficking in that country functions effectively. Belgium, Denmark and Germany want to strengthen the judicial system, with Belgium proposing to create a body to deal with problems of seizures. Several delegations, including Germany and Austria, suggested twinning countries and regions (as for the candidate countries) in order to avoid duplicating the work of the various EU bodies in the field, with Germany proposing to reduce the number of such bodies.