The Commission presented a report on the implementation and the results of the Pericles 2020 programme for the protection of the euro against counterfeiting in 2016.
The programme, established by Regulation (EU) No 331/2014 for a period up to 31 December 2020, shall be implemented through co-financed actions originating from the competent authorities of the Member States and actions organised directly by the Commission (seminars/conferences, training, staff exchanges, studies, purchase of equipment etc).
The programme shows a high degree of consistency and complementarity with OLAF’s ‘Hercule III’ programme, which protects the Union’s financial interests, as well as the Internal Security Fund - Police which covers the prevention and combating of crime in general.
Implementation of the programme and the results of the actions undertaken in 2016: the report showed that the programme continues to be an important and effective tool in the fight against counterfeiting, as illustrated by the fact that the budget available for 2016 (EUR 1 038 500) has been fully committed:
· in 2016, the programme funded 13 projects in total. The actions took place both inside and outside the EU depending on the specific needs to protect the euro against counterfeiting in particular in sensitive regions of the world, including Latin America and South-Eastern Europe (e.g. Italy and Bulgaria);
· participants come from 60 countries. Most of them (63%) are European: 39% come from euro area Member States, 14% from non-Euro area countries and 10% from non-EU Member States;
· the diversification of participants has increased. Members from police forces represent 37% of the total number of participants. The participation rate of central banks rose sharply (23%). The rate of participation of members of the judiciary remains high (11%) and that of the mints is increasing (8%).
Overview of actions committed to in 2016: the programme has succeeded to maintain and further strengthen strong regional international cooperation and exchange best practices among all actors involved in the fight against euro counterfeiting:
· several actions committed in 2016 addressed the threat posed by the internet/darknet in the fight against counterfeiting, focussing on the effectiveness of investigation techniques and the need for a coordinated response to the threat;
· the programme co-financed the second phase of the study organised by the Monnaie de Paris in order to examine the possibility of developing new interactive materials that will enhance the security features of future euro coins;
· a number of actions have dealt with issues relating to the classification and/or authentication of euro coins and banknotes.
In addition, the following cases illustrate the programme’s contribution to the protection of the euro against counterfeiting in 2016:
· in May 2016, Kosovo adopted a new regulation covering all aspects of euro-cash transactions following the participation of its representatives in several Pericles 2020 actions;
· law enforcement personnel trained under the programme participated in the dismantling of three clandestine print shops in Colombia and the arrest of 49 persons suspected of counterfeiting the euro in Peru.
Outlook: the results of the implementation of the programme and the analysis of emerging threats addressed by the Euro-counterfeiting expert group (ECEG) identified the following priorities for 2017:
· support activities aimed at improving cooperation between Member States which are particularly affected by the production or distribution of counterfeits;
· fostering cooperation with third-country authorities where there is suspicion of or evidence for counterfeit euro production;
· maintain an effective framework for the protection of the euro in South-Eastern Europe.
· address new themes such as technical developments within the coin processing machines, the distribution of counterfeits and high-quality components on the Internet, and the growing interest in euro counterfeiting of criminals living in a third country.