On April 16, the NASPA facilities in Venice hosted the third Thematic Dialogue of the POSEIDON project. The event brought together stakeholders, including the POSEIDON Consortium partners, supporting partners from key ports like Greece, Algeciras, and Antwerp-Bruges, alongside representatives from Venice’s port sector and international experts. With approximately 30 participants, the dialogue covered the issue of human smuggling.
The objective was to find out the main corruption gaps in facilitating the human smuggling phenomenon. Through a series of in-depth discussions across three panels, participants analyzed the issue from various angles. The first panel, a roundtable session moderated by the POSEIDON Project Manager, enriched with the interventions from both private and public sector, including Terminal, Harbor Mater, Shipping Agency and Freight Forwarders of the port of Venice.
Following this, the second panel, moderated by an Ecorys colleague, was delivered by two Security Experts from the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and a representative of the Hellenic Coast. They outlined the main EU routes of human smuggling and discussed challenges and strategies for enhancing European ports’ capacity to combat corruption in this context.
The thematic dialogue concluded with presentations from international experts emphasizing the necessity of international cooperation and a shared understanding of smuggling routes to develop effective counterstrategies. Participants gained insights into existing initiatives at European and international levels, along with case studies from local stakeholders.
These dialogues are part of the POSEIDON project’s efforts to identify vulnerabilities and best practices among EU ports, aligning with its goal of establishing an EU Public-Private Network of Port Sector Stakeholders. By bringing together experts, authorities, and stakeholders, the project remains at the forefront of combating corruption in EU ports.
Thanks are extended to the North Adriatic Sea Port Authority for hosting the Study Visit and Thematic Dialogue in Venice, and to all speakers and participants for their valuable contributions.
