Distinguished Chair,

Executive Director of UNODC,

Ladies and gentlemen, 

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina[1] and Georgia, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.

At the outset, let me congratulate you on your election as Chair and assure you of our full support. I would also like to thank Ambassador Mary Mugwanja and commend her for the achievements under her chairmanship. Let me also warmly thank the Executive Director for her introductory remarks and for her strong leadership. 

Indeed, the work of UNODC is essential to achieve the objective that you have chosen as a theme for this session, to promote international cooperation and technical assistance to prevent and address crimes. As a close partner, the EU strongly supports the important work of UNODC.

Let me also thank you for focusing on the sustainable development goals. The 2030 agenda and the SDGs remain our universal and integrated roadmap to a peaceful and secure life for all, leaving no one behind.

Social justice, equality and the eradication of poverty are key inter-connected priorities for the EU. The EU remains fully focused on this important agenda.

I would also like to thank you for giving space for civil society to participate actively in this session. Civil society plays a critical role in the Commission and bring unique experience and perspectives to our work.

Chair,

The EU condemns in the strongest possible terms the ongoing full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, in blatant violation of the UN Charter. We call on Russia to immediately cease its war of aggression and withdraw all its troops and military equipment from Ukraine.  

We stress our determination to ensure full accountability for all crimes committed in connection with Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. In this context, the EU welcomes the establishment of the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine at Eurojust as well as the ongoing discussions on the possible establishment of a special tribunal for the crime of aggression.

Russia’s war against Ukraine also involves serious criminal activity. To mention one area of great concern, thousands of innocent Ukrainian children have been separated from their parents and forcibly transferred within parts of Ukraine’s territory temporarily occupied by Russia or unlawfully deported to Russia and Belarus.  We demand that Russia cease these illegal activities immediately, and ensure the safe return of all Ukrainian children to their homes or legal guardians in Ukraine.

Allow me also to refer to the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza which remains a matter of grave concern to the EU. We call upon all parties to protect the civilians and fully respect their obligations under International Humanitarian Law.

The EU welcomes the recent adoption of the Ljubljana-Hague Convention on International Cooperation in the Investigation and Prosecution of the Crime of Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes and other International Crimes. This agreement represents a major milestone in the fight against impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes. We invite all Member States to ratify this Convention.

Chair,

We see four EU priorities for the work of this Commission.

First, we think that it essential for this Commission to focus on the fight against smuggling of migrants and trafficking in human beings. In many parts of the world, reckless organised criminal groups deceive vulnerable populations with false promises. Instead of the better life they expected, the victims of this crime are subjected to mortal danger and exploitation. Many perish before reaching their destination. We need to address this growing criminal activity forcefully, and as a matter of priority.

To do this, the European Commission last November launched the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling, with a Call to Action on governments, international organisations and online service providers to strengthen international cooperation.

We are grateful for the UNODC’s active participation and support. We welcome the new UNODC action to combat human trafficking and migrant smuggling. We hope you can join a side event tomorrow on this subject that we are organising n partnership with UNODC and Egypt.

Second, we think it is important for this Commission to focus on asset recovery, in particular to target the resources of organised crime. The EU has recently taken several important steps. Following the EU’s Roadmap to fight drug trafficking and organised crime, Eurojust will set up a specialised network of judges and prosecutors to support and coordinate national investigations. The EU adopted on 12 April a new directive on asset recovery and confiscation, which will strengthen the powers of national authorities to trace, freeze, confiscate and manage criminal assets.

In the Council of Europe, the Conference of Parties to the Warsaw Convention intends to update the Convention by means of an Additional Protocol. This exercise presents an important initiative for the promotion of international cooperation for the purpose of asset recovery. It could serve as an inspiration for similar progress at the UN level.

Third, we need to invest more in crime prevention, including the promotion of administrative measures that local authorities can take to deprive organised crime from opportunities to expand their activities and infiltrate the legal economy. It is particularly important to address the recruitment of young people by criminal networks and improving public safety in areas affected by drug-related crime. 

Chair,  

An important fourth priority for the EU is the prevention of environmental crime. According to Interpol and the UNEP, environmental crime is the fourth largest criminal activity in the world. It grows between 5 % and 7 % a year.

Within the EU, a new Directive on environmental crime adopted last April provides law enforcement authorities with the tools available to investigate and prosecute environmental crime more successfully. The EU will present this Directive at a side-event organised by France on Thursday.

We also look forward to hearing UNODC’s presentation on its report on international cooperation to prevent and combat illicit trafficking in wildlife.

We hope to see further progress on this topic at the 15^th UN Crime Congress in 2026.

In conclusion, Chair, let me wish all delegates a successful session. We hope we can all work constructively in the Vienna spirit so that this session can reach a good outcome, for the benefit of us all.

Thank you, Chair. 

[1] North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.