United Nations: International Day for the Prevention of and Fight against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime, 15 November 2025
In March 2024, the United Nations General Assembly declared 15 November the International Day for the Prevention of and Fights against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime. This decision stems from the need to raise awareness of the possible threats posed by all forms of transnational organized crime and to increase international cooperation regarding this topic.
The fight against transnational crime is addressed in the 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, its three Protocols and in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Organised crime persists worldwide, affecting both governance and political processes, while weakening the rule of law. Some of the gravest manifestations of organised crime include human trafficking and smuggling of migrants, but also includes illicit trafficking of drugs, firearms, protected species, cultural property, and falsified medical products.
With the ever growing development of digitalisation processes, organised crime is increasingly using online methodologies in order to pursue their illicit objectives, increase their reach and degree of harm.
Nowadays, the structure of organised crime has seen a significant shift, from traditional territorial-based criminal groups, to smaller, more flexible networks and branches spread across several jurisdictions. This underlines the urgent need for collaboration between States and the required joined efforts.
On November 11, 2025, 11:30 CET in Vienna (Austria) a High-Level Event to Commemorate the second international Day for the Prevention of and Fights against All Forms of Transnational Organized Crime was held. Various guests intervened, including H.E. Mr. Sergio Mattarella (President of the Republic of Italy), H.E. Mr. Alexander Van der Bellen (Federal President of Austria), and multiple permanent representatives of different countries to the United Nations in Vienna.