www.euriec.eu [email protected] +31 (0)88 16 87 380

Mirjam Rob Luud Clermonts-Aretz Hutschemaekers Geerlings Chairman of the Head of RIEC / Coordinator Steering Group EURIEC

Borders: an enormous obstacle for Annelore Eichel Valentin Urban Bo de Bruijn Account Manager Lawyer Project Support governments, quite the opposite for criminals

Bezirksregierung Köln

Annet Klinkers Gennard Stulens Account Manager Account Manager / Lawyer

The content of this document represents the views of the author only and is his/her sole responsibility. The European Commission does not accept any responsibility for use that may be made of the information it contains. This project is funded by the ’s Internal Security Fund – Police Looking for How does the EURIEC work? the boundaries The EURIEC is operational from September 2019 and it supports casuistry for the entire border area between National borders don’t stop criminals. Stronger still, the Netherlands, Belgium and . This is done criminals intentionally use national borders in order in close collaboration with the Dutch RIECs, the to hide their activities from investigative and other Belgian ARIECs and the German partners. authorities. National borders prove to be a major obstacle in the fight against such organised crime. Within the EURIEC, every participating country is Every country has its own legislation and language, represented by one or more members of staff. for instance, and there are differences in terms of The three account managers, three lawyers, the powers and responsibilities. The degree of awareness Awareness and coordinator and the project assistant will support of organised crime and, more specifically, the role Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany in their fight of the administration in the fight against it, also plays Casuistry against international cases. The world of science is an important role. also involved. The EURIEC receives procedural and substantive support from the Hochschule für Polizei On 17 May 2018, the RIEC Limburg, along with Belgian The EURIEC at the RIEC Limburg was set up to give und öffentliche Verwaltung NRW (DE), the Catholic ARIECs and the competent authorities in North Rhine- cross-border administrative collaboration a boost University of Leuven (BE) and Maastricht University Westphalia, was instructed to set up a Euro-regional by means of: (NL). Information and Expertise Centre to offer support for the administrative fight against cross-border under- Awareness: make administrative authorities in In order to investigate the possibilities and impossi- mining crime, the EURIEC. This instruction was issued Belgium, North Rhine-Westphalia (Germany) and bilities of issuing and receiving information, by means of a letter of intent that was signed by the Netherlands aware of the need for international the EURIEC aims to set up expert platforms for Jan Jambon (the former Minister for Security and collaboration and the exchange of information in administrative authorities. The EURIEC facilitates Domestic Affairs in Belgium), Herbert Reul (the North the field of the administrative fight against the collaboration, it brings people into contact Rhine-Westphalia Innenminister) and Ferdinand undermining crime. with each other, it analyses information and it Grapperhaus (the Minister of Security and Justice in writes perspectives for action for the partners at the Netherlands). Casuistry: investigate the possibilities and impossi- home and abroad. For every case, the possibilities bilities of a cross-border exchange of information and restrictions of the cross-border exchange between administrative authorities on the basis of of information are explained by means of legal specific casuistry with an international component substantiation for administrative purposes. (the Netherlands, Belgium or North Rhine-Westphalia). The findings thereof will be presented to the responsible organisations in the countries in question.