The European Union, speaking at the UNTOC Working Group of Government Experts on Technical Assistance in Vienna on 13 July 2026, urged States Parties to broaden the donor base for the Convention's Implementation Review Mechanism and warned that only two parties—Italy and the EU—had made voluntary contributions in 2026. The EU also stressed that UNODC activities linked to treaty-based obligations should be covered under the UN regular budget.
The statement, delivered on behalf of the EU and its Member States, noted that the EU and its Member States are among the main contributors to UNODC's budget, with multi-year project funding currently exceeding €300 million. Between 2016 and 2024, the EU and its Member States provided USD 968 million in voluntary contributions to UNODC. In 2025, the EU and its Member States contributed over €116 million, equivalent to 23% of UNODC's voluntary funding for that year.
The EU is currently supporting 62 projects worldwide, many of which are technical assistance projects to counter organised crime. Together with UNODC, the EU has invested over €700 million in countering migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings, including law enforcement and judicial cooperation, border management, awareness-raising campaigns, and sustainable solutions addressing root causes across Africa, the Middle East, and Central and Southern Asia. New projects include INTERCEPT, a €20 million initiative to disrupt illicit flows via land, aviation, and maritime routes, and THEMIS, a global justice cooperation project against crime and terrorism. The EU has also invested nearly €30 million in countering crimes that affect the environment, such as illegal pollution, waste trafficking, and wildlife crime, through its global GUARD Wildlife programme.
On the UNTOC Review Mechanism, the EU expressed concern over significant delays, with only three reviews completed so far, and the lack of sufficient and sustainable funding. The EU encouraged all States Parties to consider providing voluntary financial support to broaden the donor base and ensure long-term sustainability. The forthcoming Conference of the Parties was highlighted as an opportunity to reflect on strengthening the Mechanism, enhancing efficiency in line with the UN80 reform agenda, and making the best use of existing resources.
The EU also emphasised the importance of preserving a strong UNODC field presence and reiterated its commitment to providing and supporting technical assistance in the field of transnational organised crime.