THE HAGUE, 9 July 2026 – OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Vice-President and Special Representative on Countering Organized Crime Eugenio Zoffili (Italy) visited Europol Headquarters in The Hague yesterday for high-level discussions on strengthening international co-operation in the fight against transnational organised crime.
Vice-President Eugenio Zoffili meeting with Dr. Alfredo Nunzi, Head of the Institutional and Legal Affairs Department, The Hague, 8 July 2026The official visit, held on the margins of the OSCE PA's 2026 Annual Session, included meetings with senior Europol officials as well as a dedicated operational briefing by Europol's Italian Desk. The exchanges focused on the evolving threat posed by transnational organised crime, the importance of international law enforcement co-operation, and opportunities to further strengthen co-operation between Europol and the OSCE.
The visit followed the Assembly's adoption in The Hague of Zoffili's resolution, "Strengthening a comprehensive, co-operative and people-centred approach to combatting drug trafficking and drug use and fighting organized crime and all forms of mafia in the OSCE area," which calls for enhanced international co-operation to address drug trafficking and other forms of transnational organised crime.
"Transnational organised crime continues to undermine security, the rule of law and economic stability across our region. Drug trafficking remains one of its most profitable and destabilising activities, fuelling violence, corruption and the expansion of criminal networks. Tackling these increasingly sophisticated criminal organisations requires close international co-operation, effective information-sharing and co-ordinated action," Zoffili said. "The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly remains committed to supporting efforts to strengthen co-operation and develop comprehensive responses to these shared security challenges."
During the visit, Zoffili met with Dr. Alfredo Nunzi, Head of the Institutional and Legal Affairs Department, and David Ellero, Senior Advisor at the Operations Directorate Management Office.
OSCE PA Senior Advisor Marco Bonabello and Vice-President Eugenio Zoffili outside the Europol Headquarters, The Hague, 8 July 2026Europol representatives outlined the agency's role in supporting Member States through operational assistance to investigations and strategic analysis of criminal trends. Discussions highlighted Europol's secure information exchange network (SIENA), operational analysis capabilities, joint operational task forces, and other instruments that facilitate cross-border law enforcement cooperation. The discussions also covered the activities of major organised crime networks and trafficking routes affecting the OSCE region, including criminal groups operating through the Western Balkans and North Africa.
A key element of the discussions focused on strengthening cooperation between Europol and OSCE structures. Participants noted that the OSCE's field presence and political engagement across the wider region can complement Europol's operational expertise, particularly in areas beyond the European Union, contributing to more effective responses to transnational criminal threats.
As part of the visit, Zoffili also received a briefing from Europol's Italian Desk, where representatives of Italian law enforcement agencies presented their work within the Europol framework and provided an operational perspective on Italy's contribution to combating organised crime at the European level.
For more information on the work of the Special Representative on Countering Organized Crime, please click here.
