Pictured above - ALDE MEPs Norica Nicolai and Pino Arlacchi

The "World financial crisis boosts organised crime" was the alarming message spread by the UN in July of this year and on which ALDE has held today a seminar to raise awareness of the relationship between the financial crisis and criminal activity. ALDE group invited a number of eminent experts on criminology to address the current phenomenon - one of the less discussed consequences of the financial crisis which is proving a boom for criminals.

Pino Arlacchi MEP (Idv, IT), co-promoter of this seminar stated: "Organised crime has become more sophisticated and the wild speculations that have bought us into a financial crisis have contributed to its further flourishing. We are all aware of the use made of offshore tax havens and secret bank accounts but we overlook the larger inshore financial crime  promoted by white collar criminals such as Bernard Madoff, or those who pursue reckless investment , with no regard for accumulated debt , as is being evidenced by a number of large investment  failures."

Norica Nicolai MEP (PNL, RO) co-promoter of this seminar said: "Europe is more and more vulnerable in facing versatile organised crime which, in time of economic crisis, penetrates all social levels. Organised crime evolves with technology and adapts to globalisation. European institutions have to adjust their policies in order to help fighting against this plague."