26/03/2008 (Agence Europe) - The Slovenian Presidency, in cooperation with the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior, is holding a conference, “Strengthening cooperation in the fight against serious crime - Contribution of regional threat assessments to security in Europe”, in Vienna on 26-27 March. The conference, which will be attended by high representatives of the EU member states and representatives of the police forces of the Western Balkan countries, is part of the “Organised Crime Threat Assessment for the South-Eastern European Area” project (SEE OCTA). The aim is to improve cooperation between the police authorities of the Balkan countries in combating crime, and to introduce EU security standards to the region. The first results of the project, a threat assessment, are expected in the first half of 2009. The adoption of the report and related measures is planned for the EU-Western Balkans ministerial meeting in September 2009. (B.C.)