ZARZALEJOS MEETS WITH THE SCOTTISH MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS AND JUSTICE TO DISCUSS COOPERATION AGAINST ORGANISED CRIME IN MALTA

On Thursday, 20 November, Javier Zarzalejos, in his capacity as Chair of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), held a meeting with the Scottish Minister for Home Affairs and Justice, Angela Constance, focused on police and judicial cooperation and on shared challenges in the fight against organised crime.

The meeting allowed for a detailed exchange on the security, law enforcement, and citizen protection priorities shared between the European Parliament and the Scottish Government.

During the meeting, Zarzalejos conveyed the European Parliament’s growing concern over the expansion of criminal networks in Europe, drawing on recent Europol reports. He explained that combating organised crime is a central priority for the LIBE Committee and stressed the need to strengthen the EU’s legislative instruments. In particular, he highlighted the importance of making progress on access to electronic evidence, harmonising rules among Member States, and improving cross-border cooperation. He also recalled that the balance between security and data protection is essential, especially in a context where 85% of investigations rely on digital evidence.

In addition, Zarzalejos outlined the European lines of work on drug policy, warning about the unprecedented rise in the trafficking of cocaine, heroin, and synthetic drugs across the continent. In this regard, he noted that the upcoming European Drugs Strategy and the future legislative package from the Commission will be crucial tools to reinforce the common response. He also underlined the importance of international cooperation, particularly with the United Kingdom under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement. Finally, the exchange made it possible to discuss developments in Scotland and the measures the Scottish Government is adopting to strengthen its response capacity.