::: confiscation of criminal assets and social re-use: our european goal
One of our main goals is to enlarge at European level the system of confiscation and social re-use of organised crime assets.
It is a law (109/1996) that has been running for over 15 years in Italy and proving to be very effective, both from a cultural and economic point of view. We operate in order to have the European Parliament and the EU members States adopt a similar legislation.
We believe that the system of confiscation and social re-use is an extraordinary tool, able to affect the economic power of criminal organisations. It is a clear sign that the State is present and it comes out as winner from the fight. With an efficient procedure of confiscation and then of social re-use, entire criminal families and clans are deprived of making profits. Their properties become people’s properties.
Aside the efficient countermeasure model that this theory offers, the concept of confiscation and social re-use holds a tremendous cultural message too: depriving criminal organizations of properties and assets is standing for the values of legality. The concept of legality represents, in this context, the most exportable value.
Pagano Report
The Pagano Report regards the creation of a criminal law framework of the European Union. Handed by MEP Maria Grazia Pagano from the ESP, the report was approved on 7th may 2009 with 427 favorable votes, 49 black-balls and 9 neutrals. The Pagano Report also recommends the Council of Europe to adopt a European legislation regarding the social re-use of properties and goods seized from organised crime.
G8’s Final Declaration
During the G8 ministerial meeting of Justice and Home Affairs, held in Rome on 29th and 30th May 2009, the Ministers of Justice and the Home Affairs discussed a number of issues, together with the Vice President of the European Commission. Fight against transnational organised crime was a key point in the agenda. Thanks to the advocacy of Libera and FLARE Network, the Final Declaration of the G8 ministerial meeting mentions the confiscation of criminal assets and their social use as a critical tool for fighting transnational organised crime.
Motion for a Resolution by the LIBE Commission
On April 2009, LIBE Commission on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs passed a resolution at the European Parliament concerning measures of Freedom, Security and Justice. The resolution suggests to: «Reinforce EU policy regarding the fight against certain types of organised crime such as cybercrime, trafficking in human beings, sexual exploitation of children and corruption, by taking effective action and using all available cooperation tools to achieve measurable results, including action with a view to the adoption of a legislative instrument on the confiscation of financial assets and property of international criminal organisations and on their re-use for social purposes» (page 5, 3-f).
To better understand the system of confiscation and social re-use, check our Dossier “Confiscation and social reuse of criminal assets: the complete guidelines“
::: european social campaign season of legality
March 2009 - May 2009 FLARE implemented “Season of Legality”, a European social campaign aimed at two main objectives: firstly, we intend to make European citizens aware of the influence and the presence of transnational organized crime all over Europe; secondly, we promote a declaration - presented by FLARE to the European Paliament in March 2009 - which states the importance for EU member states to work on a law that allows governments to confiscate properties from organized crime groups and to re-use them socially. In order to achieve these objectives, FLARE organize more than 30 different events between March and May 2009 in over 30 countries where FLARE members are represented.
::: georgia monitoring mission
August 2008 We formed a monitoring mission to be sent to Georgia in order to understand what were the conditions of the civil population and we displaced people in the northern part of the country, especially in the break-away territories of South Ossetia.
From 25 to 27 of August 2008 an independent observatory mission of the civil society visited the areas where the situation was most critical. The monitoring mission involved four FLARE member organisations and it aimed at seeking independent information upon the conditions of local population in Georgia.
Additionally, the midterm goal was to bridge dialogue between Russian and Georgian civil societies to overgo the conflict, given also the unique representation in our delegation of – amongst others – Russian and Georgian people. The mission was not able to access territory of the South Ossetia as well as those territories of Georgia controlled by the Russian Federation military forces and accessed from time to time by Ossetian militia. The outcome of FLARE’s monitoring mission to Georgia resulted in a report that we handed over to the European Parliament.
::: balkankan
July - August 2008 FLARE Network, in collaboration with Terra del Fuoco, Libera, Eulex (planned deployment of European Union police and civilian resources to the Republic of Kosovo under UN Res. 1244), Generator, Astra, Kosova Youth Network, Youth 4 Youth, the Red Cross, Compagnia San Paolo, Regione Piemonte, Regione Puglia and City of Bari, announces a series of events to take place in the Republic of Serbia, the Republic of Kosovo under UN Res. 1244 and the Republic of Macedonia aimed at promoting cultural exchanges between young Italian students and the youth community from the above-mentioned Balkan countries.
::: FLARE Programme
October 2007 - June 2008 The initial idea of the FLARE Programme rose from Libera – Associations, name and numbers against mafias, in collaboration with Terra del Fuoco, a NGO from Turin, that in 2006/2007 had realized the project “The Phoenix – Freedom and Liberations”. The FLARE Programme is participated by about 50 associations for youth promotion and NGOs active in the field of youth promotion, of fight against exploitation of women and minors for sexual deeds, of contrast to eco-crime, of respect of human rights, of the fight against corruption, of the assistance to migrants and refugees.
Implemented from November 2007 and June 2008, the FLARE Programme intended to bring to the creation of the FLARE Network, the first European network of civil society organizations committed to the social struggle against transnational organized crime.
