Fraud and counterfeiting of non-cash means of payment

Key points

The EESC:

• welcomes the Commission's initiative to prioritise the fight against cybercrime, as it aims to protect Europeans and businesses from cybercrime networks, and includes measures to boost confidence in the use of electronic payment instruments;
• is of the view that the benefits of digitisation must be flanked by mechanisms able to meet the accompanying challenges, so that the European economy and Europeans can enjoy the information society to the full;
• finds that a number of shortcomings need to be addressed and corrected in Articles 11, 12, 13 and 16 (settling conflicts of jurisdiction, exchange of best practice, specific measures on prevention to provide information, reinforcement of Article 16);

• is of the opinion that it is important to establish deterrents and mechanisms to inform the public about the modus operandi of offenders as well, through awareness-raising campaigns conducted by law enforcement authorities in the Member States.

For more information please contact the INT Section Secretariat.