EU-ACT II: EU action against organised crime and terrorism

Context

The European Union places strong emphasis on strengthening cooperation with third countries and international organisations, recognising the close links between terrorism and organised crime, often referred to as the crime-terror nexus. Its efforts to combat organised crime, and terrorism are guided by key policy frameworks, including the EU Drugs Strategy (2021–2025) and the EU Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, among others. These strategies aim to disrupt high-risk criminal networks, enhance counter-terrorism capacities in partner countries, and foster international collaboration to respond to evolving security challenges. Since 2017, the EU-ACT programme operates as a flexible, demand-driven, tailor-made support to partner countries in addressing these security threats. It aims to enhance their capacities while promoting a rule-of-law approach to tackling these challenges. 

Overall objective

EU ACT aims to increase the effectiveness of efforts in organised crime in East Africa, Middle East and Central and South Asia. In Central Asia, the project also seeks to disrupt terrorist networks and bring criminals to justice while continuing to respect human rights, gender equality and the rule of law.

Specific objectives

• To contribute to effectively fighting organised crime in East Africa, Middle East and Central and South Asia.
• To improve criminal justice responses in Central Asia to terrorism.
• To strengthen regional capacities to both organised crime and terrorism through improved evidence-based analysis and adherence to human rights standards.

Concrete activities

• Strategic assessment of synthetic drug production and trafficking along the southern route and in North Africa, based on desk research and country questionnaires.
• Technical assistance to Iraq, to share experiences on establishing specialised judicial bodies for drug trafficking cases.
• Multidisciplinary training and capacity building for law enforcement, judiciary, and prosecution units tackling high-risk criminal networks.
• Financial investigations, including money laundering linked to organised crime and terrorism, and the use of darknet markets, cryptocurrencies, and alternate banking systems.
• Cross-border and judicial cooperation, mutual legal assistance, and effective management of terrorist incidents through improved alert systems and command mechanisms.
• Prevention of radicalisation in cooperation with civil society and law enforcement, while ensuring compliance with human rights standards and promoting women's participation in security operations.
• Support to regional networks of prosecutors and police chiefs through trainings and the production of guides and policies.
• Support to the creation of an East African network of drugs focal points and preparatory steps towards the creation of an East Africa regional drugs observatory.

Expected results

• Strengthened law enforcement and judiciary capacities to enhance information exchange, joint operations, prosecution, and transnational cooperation, effectively disrupting high-risk organised crime along trafficking routes.
• Supported strategic and operational exchanges on counterterrorism, strengthened law enforcement and judicial capacities to address terrorism, and increased regional and global cooperation in counter-terrorism.
• Enhanced evidence base, knowledge, and analysis of organised crime and terrorism threats, while promoting greater compliance with human rights standards and women’s participation in law enforcement and judicial responses.