Proceedings of the 51st International Academic Conference, Vienna

ORGANIZED CRIME AND ITS IMPACT ON EUROPEAN SECURITY

DOMINIKA KARWOTH-ZIELIŃSKA

Abstract:

Security and defence of its citizens are of the high importance of each state. Especially organised crime poses a major threat to the internal security and the fight against organized crime poses a serious challenge for the services of almost all countries. Organised crime syndicates are behind many serious crimes whose impact is felt on a global level. Criminal activities are no longer limited to one continent only -numerous organised crime groups are active in the EU, often with cross-border reach and multi-ethnic composition. These groups - with roots in Asian, American or African and also European regions- often attempt to influence the European law enforcement agencies, the courts, the media, public officials or politicians at various levels to ensure they're implementing their purposes. Organised crime finds itself particularly quickly in the environment and the spread of new technologies. The main areas of action of these criminal groups are production, smuggling, and drug trafficking, trafficking of human beings, human smuggling, arms trafficking, smuggling of excise goods, gambling, extortion racketeering, etc. Especially in nowadays Europe we are dealing with enormous threats to the European standard of civilizations which raises the question facing the future of Europe itself. Different views on the cultural specificities and European historical roots could cause perceived and real threats to identity. The lack of unanimity and different opinion about the concept of the nation and the sphere of competence of Member States of the EU between governments and politicians contribute to facilitating the operation of organised crime. In many countries the questions about values such as the centrality of the human being, freedom, respect for human rights, justice and solidarity and about the relationship between immigrants and host societies, even the confusion over immigration and crime arises. Any crisis and abolishing of western civilization's standards will let to chaos, threats to European stability and the spread of criminal activity.

Keywords: European security, organized crime, trafficking of human beings, illegal immigration, European identity, European stability

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2019.051.015

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