LOC01:35
22:35 GMT
BRUSSELS, Dec 13 (KUNA) -- Justice and interior ministers of the European Union Member States agreed on Friday to establish a common legal framework to combat migrant smuggling, ensure their harmonization of laws and penalties.
A statement from the EU following the ministers' meeting in Brussels pointed out that the new framework aims to enhance cooperation among member states and unify the criminal approach to effectively tackle migrant smuggling, contribute to the protection of vulnerable groups from criminal exploitation.
The statement emphasized that the harmonization of criminal laws across member states will focus particularly on issues such as the definition of migrant smuggling and the penalties for those committing the crime.
This agreement confirms the EU's commitment to reforming the existing legal framework, which dates back to 2002.
The statement also highlighted that migrant smuggling is a profitable activity for criminal groups, which exploit the most vulnerable to generate profits, and that prosecuting this crime remains a top priority for EU member states.
In this context, the EU revealed that approximately 380,000 illegal migrants crossed borders last year. The EU's data, released on Friday, showed that more than 90 percent of irregular migrants arriving in the EU rely on the services of smugglers. (end)
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