Justice & Home Affairs

Objective: The main goals of the action are the identification and arrests of the key facilitators and HVTs, disruption of OCGs and hubs by conducting common investigations and joint operational activities (e.g. CADs) in all concerned countries with the support of Europol. Results: Identification of HVTs and OCGs As a result of the combined meeting (OA 2.1 with OA 2.3), the EMSC coordinates the establishment of the list with High Value Targets. In this meeting, the final list needs to be agreed upon as well as the operational plans how to get those HVTs (linked to OTF) Gathering of operational intelligence

Objective: The objective of the TFWB (Task Force Western Balkan) is to steer the common activities at the Joint operational office Vienna (JOO) jointly with Europol/EMSC, with the main aim to analyse, detect, identify, fight, prosecute and disrupt all relevant modi operandi used by Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) networks on the Western Balkans facilitating illegal immigration and human smuggling.   Results: Interpretation and translation Several operational meetings with EU MSs and 3rd parties (BE, BG, CZ, DE, EL, ES, FR, HR, HU, IT, NL, PL, RO, SI, SK, UK; AL, BA, CH, ME, MK, RS, XK*) Request towards EMSC to install an International Coordination Centre during the Common Action Day Meeting reports / summary of conclusions will be disseminated among MSs, 3rd countries and Europol.

Project description   Objectives: The Task Force was installed by the Ministers of Interior of the Balkan Route in 2018. Members of the Task Force are AL, BA, CH, ME, MK, RS, UK, BG, CZ, EL, ES, HR, HU, IT, PL, SE, SI, SK, DE and AT. Moreover, the Joint Operational Office in Vienna manages the activities of the Task Force in close cooperation with Europol’s EMSC, FRONTEX as well as EUROJUST. The Mission and objectives of this task force are targeting OCGs, High Value Targets and key facilitators residing, being active in the Western Balkans and to work out effective strategies to prevent such a migration crisis that was experienced in 2015 as well as working out a flexible mechanism to react on the new routes in the Western Balkan region. A special focus is given to those migrant categories that are stranded in Turkey. The Low Value Grant of the Operational Action Plan 2021 focused on the facilitation of illegal immigration.   Results: Fill intelligence gaps Develop disruptive strategies (Social Media Monitoring) Identify High Value Targets and run OTFs Operational Planning for EMPACT Actions Days 2022 and JADs in FII