Fight against transnational crime and terrorism

Cooperation Agreement between the Russian Federation and the European Police Office (Europol) signed in Rome on 6 November 2003 provides a legal framework for cooperation between Russia and the EU in combating transnational crime and terrorism.

In the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Interior (lead agency), the Federal Security Service, the Federal Customs Service and the Federal Financial Monitoring Service are in charge of implementation of the Agreement. Within the Russian Ministry of Interior there is a National Contact Point ‑ special unit responsible for information exchange and coordination of joint activities with this EU Agency. 

Cooperation in fighting transnational crime covers eight types of criminal offences[1]. Implementation of the Agreement includes exchange of expertise, legislative acts and methodological guidelines, as well as holding joint workshops, study visits and consultations. On a regular basis the parties exchange relevant strategic and technical information as well as analytical reports on various aspects of combating organised crime and international terrorism. The most advanced areas of cooperation are witness protection, fight against counterfeiting, cybercrime, drug trafficking and legalisation of criminal gains.

In the follow-up to the Joint Statement of the Russia-EU Summit of 3 October 2001 and the Joint Statement on Combating Terrorism of 11 November 2002 which laid down the principles and defined main areas of Russia-EU cooperation in the fight against terrorism, a new Joint Statement on Combating Terrorism adopted at the Russia-EU Summit on 28 January 2014 in Brussels reiterated the commitment of Russia and the EU to cooperate in countering this threat on the basis of relevant principles and norms of international law, respect for human rights and under the leading role of the UN.

Regular consultations on counterterrorism are held within the framework of the Russia-EU political dialogue. Discussions at expert level on practical aspects of cooperation in this field are resumed. On 13 July 2017 expert consultations were held in Brussels between a Russian inter-agency delegation and representatives of the European External Action Service, the European Commission, the Office of EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator as well as Europol. On 27 September 2017 in The Hague a meeting between experts of the Russian Ministry of Interior and Europol took place in the margins of the 5th Europol-Interpol Cybercrime Conference. During the meeting the parties considered possibilities to set cooperation in investigating concrete cases.

On 8 February 2018 the third round of Russia-EU high-level counter-terrorism talks was held in Brussels between Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov and Pedro Serrano, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Olivier Onidi, Deputy Director-General for Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission and Gilles De Kerchove, EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator (two previous rounds of talks in this format took place on 1 April 2016 in Brussels and on 8 February 2017 in Moscow respectively).

 

[1] 1) against life and health of persons; 2) terrorism and its financing; 3) illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs; 4) illicit trafficking in works of art; 5) illicit trafficking in firearms, ammunition, explosives and poisonous substances, nuclear and radioactive materials; 6) property crimes, including fraud, theft of and illegal trafficking in motor vehicles; 7) legalisation of gains (money laundering); 8) illegal migration, trafficking in human beings and exploitation of prostitution by third persons.