Policy paper

Joint declaration of intent between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Serbia on enhanced cooperation on organised immigration crime (accessible)

Published 6 October 2023

The United Kingdom and the Republic of Serbia have a longstanding cooperative relationship between law enforcement, customs and national security authorities. This Joint Declaration intends to enhance cooperation on tackling organised immigration crime in the United Kingdom, the Republic of Serbia and beyond.

Organised crime groups that are involved in organised immigration crime and the evolving nature of the crime pose a significant threat to our countries. Tackling the complex criminal networks that are involved in trafficking and smuggling migrants is important to maintaining the shared prosperity and security of our respective countries. These groups cause harm to life, destabilise our communities and boost the illicit economy from the proceeds of crime. These groups use various ways, means, methods and equipment, including identity-related fraud and abuse of immigration, asylum and citizenship laws. This underlines the scale of the challenge we are both facing.

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Republic of Serbia hereafter referred to collectively as the ‘participants’ to the Joint Declaration:

• Welcoming the intent to cooperate closely on tackling organised immigration crime
• Recognising the need for close bilateral cooperation between our law enforcement, customs and national security authorities to protect the populations of the participants which respects their privacy, values, and interests
• Aiming to develop a plan to support each other in facilitating the sharing of information to support the administration and enforcement of our border, immigration and citizenship laws, and to aid collaborative efforts in the interests of public protection including the prevention, detection, investigation or prosecution of criminal offences, with due regard to our national and international obligations
• Recognising the need to establish a mechanism for identifying, discussing, and commencing joint action, as well as monitoring the impact of that joint action; and
• Noting that this document is a Joint Declaration, is not legally binding and does not create or confer rights, privileges or benefits or create legal commitments or obligations on any person or party, private or public, including commitments under international law

We intend to jointly work and collaborate together within the framework of our national competences as follows:

1. Investigate, prosecute and disrupt organised crime groups or networks, including by targeting their infrastructure, supply chains, proceeds of crime or any other enablers that are involved in organised immigration crime.

2. Develop mutual inter-agency collaboration to deal with cases of organised immigration crime as per each participant’s respective law and procedures.

3. Explore ways to increase the volume and speed of sharing of important information to fight organised immigration crime, including data and information relevant to organised immigration crime that directly or indirectly impacts the participants.

4. Identify practical mechanisms for improving cooperation to combat shared cross-border threats, including strengthening law enforcement information exchange via existing mechanisms, such as INTERPOL to enhance global efforts in the prevention and fight against organised immigration crime.

5. Where appropriate, seek to design and deliver capacity building projects to enhance border security systems and aid in the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of organised immigration crime.

In order to give practical effect to this Joint Declaration we will negotiate, sign and begin to implement an enhanced cooperation bilateral arrangement regarding joint efforts to tackle organised immigration crime, its networks, enablers and supply chains within a jointly decided framework and timetable.