Together or alone? The need for increased Albanian-Dutch cooperation to fight transnational organised crime
Authors: Alban Dafa, Researcher governance and security at IDM and Wouter Zweers, Research Fellow at Clingendael
In recent years the Netherlands has voiced security-related concerns about the involvement of Albanian nationals in organised crime in the Netherlands. These concerns culminated in a request to the European Commission to suspend visa-free travel for Albanians to the EU.
This policy brief argues that the current Dutch approach does not provide the best means to address issues of organised crime, such as drug trafficking, related to Albanian nationals. It identifies several inadequacies in the crime data used to substantiate the Dutch position and the way Dutch authorities publicly communicate them. It posits that greater bilateral cooperation beyond the EU accession framework could improve efforts to fight transnational organised crime effectively. The opening of EU accession negotiations with Albania may offer a window of opportunity to formulate a constructive agenda of cooperation beyond the formal EU enlargement framework.
Download the policy brief (in English).
This policy brief was prepared in partnership with the Clingendael Institute (the Netherlands Institute of International Relations) and is supported by a grant from the Foundation Open Society Institute in cooperation with the OSIFE of the Open Society Foundations.
