One of POSEIDON’s main goals is to enhance the resilience of European ports to the infiltration of corruption as an enabler of organised crime. In this regard, the project is fully aligned with the newly launched EU Roadmap to boost the fight against drug trafficking and organised crime, which addresses the increasing scale and menace of drug trafficking and organized crime in the European Union and third countries. The roadmap outlines a list of 17 actions structured around the following 4 macro areas of action:
- Creating a new European Ports Allianceto enhance the resilience of logistical hubs against drug trafficking and criminal infiltration through a Public Private Partnership against drugs smuggling and criminal infiltration by customs authorities and law enforcement in ports.
- Dismantling high-risk criminal networks through financial and digital investigations.
- Implementing measures to prevent crimes through the exchange of best practices and guidance among EU Member States to combat against the infiltration of criminal groups.
- Fostering international cooperation to develop comprehensive solutions.
A significant priority for the European Commission is establishing the Alliance of European Ports, which will bring together various stakeholders, including member states, local authorities, and private actors involved in port operations. The Alliance aims to implement more targeted and effective port controls using equipment to assist customs authorities in scanning containers and other means of maritime transport. It also seeks to establish a public-private partnership that leverages the knowledge and experience of both public and private actors, while promoting best practices and due diligence.
Similarly, the POSEIDON project aims to enhance dialogue and collaboration among different stakeholders by establishing a public-private port stakeholder network. This network will serve as a valuable platform for exchanging good practices and recommendations for an EU Port Supply Chain Integrity Standard as well as identifying the vulnerabilities of the European port sector.
The POSEIDON project is proud to be fully aligned in its goals and objectives with this new EU Roadmap, and, more broadly, to support the EU’s collective efforts in the fight against organised crime by boosting public-private cooperation and searching for effective solutions to combat corruption within the ports sector.
