International
Europol and BAK: 5th ‘Analysis Project Corruption’ meeting
The fifth meeting of Analysis Project Corruption – AP Corruption for short – took place in the auditorium of Europol headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands on 17 December 2024.
The event provided a platform for experts from all over Europe to present and discuss operational and strategic measures to combat corruption. The Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAK) was among the participants.
In addition to staff from the BAK's operational department and international cooperation unit, Franz Schwarzenbacher, head of the ‘Betting fraud, doping and pharmaceutical crime’ unit at Criminal Intelligence Service Austria, and Burkhard Mühl, (Austrian) head of the European Economic and Financial Crime Centre (EFECC) at Europol took part in the meeting. Mühl's work focuses in particular on promoting the development of strategies to strengthen international cooperation in the fight against economic and financial crime.
Alongside other organisations, BAK gave a keynote speech to the Europol committee, providing an outlook on BAK's planned strategic goals and measures for the coming years. BAK's priorities met with broad interest among international counterparts.
The event included further presentations and discussions, including reports from Spain, Belgium, France and Ukraine, as well as a panel discussion on current developments in the fight against corruption. BAK's participation emphasises its commitment to strengthening international cooperation and developing innovative approaches to preventing corruption.
Europol
The European police authority Europol plays a central role in the fight against cross-border corruption within the European Union. As a platform for cooperation, Europol supports national law enforcement authorities in the detection and prosecution of corruption cases, particularly those with an international dimension such as bribery, abuse of office and money laundering. The organisation provides specialised analytical tools, promotes the exchange of information between member states and coordinates joint investigations. The aim is to combat systemic corruption that jeopardises trust in public institutions and economic stability and to promote a more inclusive, transparent EU through targeted measures and strategic partnerships.
European Economic and Financial Crime Centre (EFECC)
The EFECC is a Europol division focussing on the fight against economic and financial crime, including corruption, money laundering and tax evasion.
Analysis Project Corruption
Analysis Project Corruption is a specialised Europol initiative that focuses on analysing and combating corruption at national and international levels. The project provides a platform for collecting, processing and analysing information on cases of corruption, especially those with a cross-border dimension. ‘AP Corruption’ supports the EU member states by exchanging operational data, coordinating joint investigations and providing strategic insights. The aim is to uncover mechanisms of corruption, dismantle criminal networks and strengthen the resilience of member states against corrupt practices. The project makes a significant contribution to maintaining trust in public institutions and ensuring economic stability.