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EMPACT: keeping the European Union safe

EMPACT stands for the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats. Formerly known as the EU Policy Cycle, it is a security initiative that prevents, detects and reacts to threats to the EU, helping to keep it safe.

This page provides background information on EMPACT, describes the EUDA's involvement in the project and highlights some key activities and outputs. 

EMPACT logo

Overview

EMPACT (the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats), formerly known as the EU Policy Cycle, is a security initiative that prevents, detects and reacts to threats to the EU, helping to keep it safe. 

The initiative is led by EU Member States and supported by the EU institutions, bodies and agencies. It is the permanent EU flagship instrument to fight serious and organised crime.

EMPACT adopts a multidisciplinary, multiagency approach to EU internal security through operational measures such as external border controls, police, customs and judicial cooperation, information management, training and public-private partnerships. Its activities run in four-year cycles which focus on a set of agreed priorities. The current cycle covers the period 2022–2025.

The four key stages of EMPACT are:

  • Analysis of current and future threats through the EU Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment (SOCTA)
  • Strategic planning based on SOCTA findings and priorities identified by the Council (identification of priorities)
  • Operational action plans (OAPs) based on goals identified in the strategic plans
  • Independent evaluation of actions

EMPACT: priorities 2026–2029

EU Member States have identified the following seven EU crime priorities for the EMPACT cycle 2026–2029:

  • Identifying and disrupting the most threatening criminal networks and individuals
  • Tackling the fastest growing crimes in the online sphere: cyber-attacks, online child sexual exploitation and online fraud schemes
  • Fighting drug trafficking
  • Tackling migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings
  • Targeting firearms and explosives crime
  • Disrupting networks involved in environmental crimes
  • Fighting economic and financial crimes such as VAT fraud and intellectual property crime

The priorities take into account that serious and organised crime is progressively destabilising our societies (e.g. by spreading violence and corruption), it is increasingly happening online and is strongly accelerated by artificial intelligence and other new technologies.

EMPACT: EUDA involvement

One of the strategic objectives of the EUDA is to improve understanding of the nature and consequences of drug-related crime.

Among its key tasks is to maintain an overview of EU drug markets, their ramifications and responses and to support EU policy and operational responses to security challenges posed by drugs and drug markets at EU and national levels.

In this context, the agency contributes to two of the 10 EMPACT priorities:

  • High-risk criminal networks — To identify and disrupt high-risk criminal networks active in the EU, with special emphasis on those using corruption, acts of violence, firearms and money laundering through parallel underground financial systems.
  • Drugs trafficking — To identify and target the criminal networks involved in drug trafficking, including the trafficking and distribution of cannabis, cocaine, heroin, synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances.

The priority on drug trafficking is delivered through two separate operational action plans (OAPs): one on cocaine, cannabis and heroin and one on synthetic drugs and new psychoactive substances.

The EUDA also provides technical expertise and support to EMPACT stakeholders in the drafting of the annual OAPs containing actions to address the 10 priority threats. EMPACT stakeholders work in a coordinated way to implement these plans.

EMPACT-related work

Support and expertise

The EUDA assists the European Commission and the Member States in formulating operational action plans (OAPs) linked to the 10 priority threats. It does this mainly through the strategic goals related to the criminal intelligence picture and through capacity building via training, networking and innovation.

EU Drug Markets: In-depth analysis

These joint EUDA-Europol analyses of drug markets inform the EU Serious and Organised Crime Threat Assessment (SOCTA). The analysis, produced by the EUDA and Europol with the support of the EU Member States, features in the OAPs. The first two analyses released cover cocaine and methamphetamine.

https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/eu-drug-markets_en

Training

The EUDA is involved in the delivery of training as outlined in the OAPs. One example is the residential training course delivered annually with CEPOL on ‘Drug markets and crime: strategic analysis’.

Cooperation with other Justice and Home Affairs agencies

The EU Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) agencies are involved in the implementation of the OAPs. Agencies lead or participate in relevant operational actions. The EUDA cooperates on an ongoing basis with Europol, CEPOL and Frontex in drug-related projects, reports and training initiatives.

EMPACT: results

Organised crime is a major threat to European citizens, businesses and institutions. How are law enforcement authorities across the EU Member States working together to fight criminal threats?

2024 results

2023 results

2022 results

2021 results

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