In view of supporting the implementation of the legal mechanisms to attack the illegally sourced assets of organized crime, PAMECA V in close cooperation with Italian HJC-AICS Project, EURALIUS V and School of Magistrates, organised an online workshop on sequestration and confiscation of assets under anti-mafia law. The training workshop convened around 25 judges and prosecutors of general jurisdiction and Special Prosecution and Court against Corruption and Organised Crime. The training covered several topics mainly concerning the independence of criminal proceedings and assets proceedings, investigative tools to be used in Anti-Mafia proceedings, issues deriving from the split of competences, burden of proof to prove that the activities and the assets have been gained in a legal way etc. Italian experience in the application of Anti-Mafia law and preventive measures were introduced by two Italian experts, namely Mr Michele Del Prete, Prosecutor at the National Anti-Mafia and Anti-Terrorism Directorate, who focused on the property measures as a tool to combat organised crime, and Mr. Giovanni Conzo, Chief Prosecutor of Benevento, who presented the operational models and investigative strategies concerning asset investigations and non-conviction based confiscation.

One of the topics that triggered the interest of the participants concerned the definition of legal problems of determining the conditions for the application of asset prevention measures that was presented Mr. Pasquale Profiti, Prosecutor at Prosecution Office of Trento. International Conventions on sequestration and confiscation of assets of anti-corruption and other criminal offences, in view of European Court of Human Rights, was another topic that attracted the interest of the participants and was introduced by the Expert of the School of Magistrates.

The Workshop was moderated by PAMECA Long Term Expert on Organised Crime, Mr Giovanni Pasqua, and it served to exchange views and practical experience on the problems to be encountered during the implementation of Anti-Mafia Law with specific focus on EU standards as defined  also in the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights.