12th Regional Meeting of the South-East Europe Firearms Experts Network

The 12th Regional Meeting of the South-East Europe Firearms Experts Network (SEEFEN) took place in Novi Sad, Serbia, on 26-27 November 2019. 

The meeting gathered investigators, prosecutors, customs officials, forensic experts and border police representatives from South East Europe, as well as experts from EUROPOL, FRONTEX, European Union (EU) Policy Cycle - EMPACT, UK’s National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS), British National Crime Agency, Police Cooperation Convention for Southeast Europe (PCC SEE) Secretariat, EULEX and Guardia Civil to cooperate in countering serious, organized, and cross-border firearms related crime through a regional approach.

The meeting enabled a discussion on the newest modus operandi of firearms trafficking, modalities of cooperation in the framework of the PCC SEE, crypto currencies, intelligence assessment regarding sources of criminal use of firearms in the EU, best practices of operational, tactical and strategic intelligence (threat and risk) assessment and reporting on firearms related crimes, steps needed for a ballistic laboratory to be fully accredited in accordance with the ISO 17025 standard, methodologies of development and implementation of joint risk analysis between Border Police and Customs, special investigative measures, controlled delivery and simulated purchase.

SEEFEN is supported by the EU through EU Council Decision 2016/2356/CFSP. On 19 November 2018, this support was reinforced trough the new EU Council Decision (CFSP) 2018/1788 adopted in support of the SEESAC for the implementation of the Regional Roadmap on combating illicit arms trafficking in the Western Balkans. By supporting armed violence reduction and combatting illicit arms trafficking, SEEFEN meetings contribute to the achievement of SDG 16: Promote peaceful, just and inclusive societies and its target 16.4 that includes a significant reduction in illicit arms flows by 2030.

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