“Implementation of cooperation is difficult because just because something is allowed to happen does not mean it will happen in practice, and the question is how to remove barriers.”
The second plenary session of the Benelux Parliament took place on 16 and 17 June at the Gouvernement in Maastricht. Among other things, a delegation of parliamentarians from the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg spoke at length on the topic of cross-border drug crime. ITEM researcher Math Noortmann was invited to further explain the issue of cooperation in cross-border drug crime as a scientific researcher.
He pointed out the difficulties in practical implementation of cross-border cooperation. Referring to a 2-year NWO project starting on 1 November next, he indicated where thresholds can arise and how they can be overcome.
In the theme debate on cross-border drug crime, the importance of cooperation in our cross-border regions was stressed several times by Xander Beenhakkers of the Limburg Regional Police Unit and Ben Köke of the Limburg Public Prosecutor ‘ s Office . Dutch Justice and Security Minister Dilan Yesilgöz also stressed in her video message that “even smaller border areasare becoming unattractive [moeten] for criminals”. Math Noortmann outlined how science and especially knowledge institutes such as ITEM can play an important role in this.
More information and the report of the second plenary session 2023 of the Benelux Interparliamentary Assembly can be found on the website of the House of Representatives.