What changed

B100390/2026

P10_TA(2026)0316

European Parliament resolution on narco-traffickingNarco-trafficking in Europe’s waters: protecting our borders and supporting our law enforcement officers

(2026/2797(RSP))

PE788.247

European Parliament resolution of 17 September 2026 on narco-trafficking in Europe’s waters: protecting our borders and supporting our law enforcement officers (2026/2797(RSP))

The European Parliament,

B. whereas Europe is a major destination for and consumer market of illicit drugs, with a multi-billion-euro drug market that brings together different drug-trafficking networks, mafias, criminal or terrorist organisations from both within and outside Europe, as well as rogue states involved in drug trafficking; whereas drug production is also increasingly linked to networks operating in other parts of the world, with the UN recently raising concerns about the growing role of countries, such as those in East Asia, in the production and supply of synthetic drugs;

✦ Adds that police, border, customs and other frontline officers face particularly high risk, and that these activities should be recognised and classified as high-risk professions in the EU.

C. whereas there have been several attacks and deaths linked to drug trafficking across the EU, including recent episodes in Portugal in October 2025, Spain in February 2024 and May 2026, France in May 2024 and October 2024, Belgium in May 2025, the Netherlands in September 2026 and Italy in June 2025, while law enforcement officers were carrying out their duty to uphold the law and protect the security of the EU and its citizens; whereas this demonstrates the need to increase resources and operational assets for the fight against drug trafficking at EU level; whereas the nature of these duties exposes police officers, border and customs officials and other frontline law enforcement personnel to particularly high levels of risk, underscoring the need to recognise and classify these activities as high-risk professions in the EU;

D. whereas cocaine trafficking to Europe has increased significantly, with maritime routes accounting for a substantial share of trafficking flows, highlighting the need for stronger maritime surveillance, intelligence-sharing and international cooperation along the entire trafficking chain;

1. Deeply condemns the attacks and regrets the loss of lives of all direct and indirect victims of drug trafficking in the EU, particularly in the light of the most recent incidents reported in several Member States; expresses its deep sympathy and sincere condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims; recognises that such unfortunate incidents reflect the operating environment in which criminal networks are not only quickly evolving but also increasingly interconnected, organised and aggressive;

✦ Adds that frontline police and Guardia Civil officers must have vessels, equipment, training, staff and legal protection, and calls on member states to reflect the high-risk nature of the work in officers' professional status and social protection.

2. Stresses that police and Guardia Civil officers on the front line against drug trafficking must have the necessary vessels, equipment, training, staff and legal protection to carry out their missions safely; calls on the Member States to reflect the high-risk nature of this work in the professional status and social protection of these officers;3. Strongly condemns the activities of criminal networks involved in drug trafficking, which undermine public security, fuel violence and corruption, and threaten the health and well-being of EU citizens; urges the Commission and the Member States to reinforce law enforcement and judicial capabilities through increased funding, operational support and enhanced resources and support for specialised law enforcement and judicial agencies and bodies dedicated to combating drug trafficking; stresses the need to strengthen cooperation and information exchange between customs, law enforcement, judicial and administrative authorities, and calls on the Commission to ensure the necessary framework to support these efforts; recognises the high-risk nature of the duties performed by police officers, border and customs officials and other frontline law enforcement personnel involved in combating drug trafficking, and calls for these duties to be recognised and classified as high-risk occupations in the EU;

4. Calls on the Commission to complete the ongoing assessment on whether the existing legal framework for fighting illicit drugs in the EU remains fit for purpose in the light of evolving drug markets, and, where appropriate, to put forward proportionate and adequate responses to emerging challenges;

14. Encourages cooperation with law-enforcement authorities, judicial bodies and relevant stakeholders to ensure that interdictions of vessels suspected of drug trafficking are carried out safely and proportionately;

✦ Wording Rewords the call for efforts addressing socio-economic drivers in transit countries, adding 'to' before 'address'.

14.15. Stresses the importance of strengthening judicial and operational cooperation with third countries, including EU-West African cooperation, to address transnational maritime drug trafficking along key trafficking routes; underlines that such cooperation should be accompanied by support for capacity-building and by efforts to address the underlying socio-economic drivers that make transit countries vulnerable to exploitation by trafficking networks; calls on the Commission to assess whether the current EU framework remains fit for purpose in the light of evolving drug markets and, where appropriate, support proportionate legal and policy responses;

16. Encourages international cooperation, including with China, to prevent the diversion of precursor chemicals and strengthen information-sharing on emerging providers and substances; calls for strengthened operational capacity of Europol and Eurojust, and hopes that the ongoing reforms help strengthen the integrity, transparency and resilience of European ports, including by improving the protection of front-line officers and workers against the risks of intimidation and corruption;