GIFP legacy continues under EU Global Threats programme organised crime portfolio

Organised crime is increasingly connected, transregional and adaptable. Criminal networks exploit global trade routes, governance gaps and digital technologies to move illicit goods and services across borders. Addressing these threats requires coordinated action across regions, sectors and institutions.

The European Union acknowledges the significant contribution of the Global Illicit Flows Programme (GIFP) and its projects to the fight against organised crime. Since its launch in 2019, GIFP helped shape an integrated response to countering illicit flows by moving beyond commodity-based approaches by focusing on the routes, networks and enablers.

Through its projects and partnerships, the GIFP supported work on information sharing and analysis, interdiction, criminal justice cooperation and transregional coordination transregionally. This work strengthened the capacity of partner institutions to detect, disrupt and respond to organised crime threats across air, sea and land routes. It also helped enhance cooperation between law enforcement, judicial authorities and other relevant actors across regions affected by illicit flows.

This legacy remains central to the EU’s external action against organised crime. As part of the consolidation of GIFP projects under the EU Global Threats programme, the GIFP brand will be discontinued as a standalone programme. Its portfolio will now be consolidated under the EU Global Threats programme’s Fight against Organised Crime threat area. This includes its legacy actions as well as ongoing projects (AIRCOP VI, COLIBRI II, ECO-SOLVE, EU-ACT II, iARMS V, SEACOP VI)

The consolidation provides a stronger and more integrated framework for the EU’s action against organised crime globally. By bringing GIFP-legacy work under the EU GTp, the EU is reinforcing coherence across thematic and geographic areas, strengthening links between law enforcement and judicial actors, and aligning action against organised crime with broader EU foreign policy priorities.

The EU GTp brings together work across five priority threat areas: counter-terrorism and preventing or countering violent extremism, CBRN risk mitigation, fight against organised crime, critical infrastructure protection, and climate change and security. 

Within this wider framework, the EU GTp Fight against Organised Crime portfolio is supporting partner countries and institutions in disrupting criminal flows, closing down enabling systems and strengthening justice and security responses.

The EU expresses its appreciation to the implementing partners, partner countries, institutions and practitioners who contributed to the GIFP’s work and impact. Their efforts have established an important foundation for continued EU action against organised crime.

During the transition, the existing GIFP social media profiles will be updated to reflect the consolidation and to direct audiences towards relevant EU GTp and FPI channels and website.

X: @IllicitRoutes

LinkedIn: Illicit Flows