A hands-on workshop for enforcement and research communities

Corruption at border points remains a pressing global issue, threatening not only border integrity but also the health, safety and security of our societies. It enables illicit trafficking, facilitates organised crime and undermines trust in public institutions.

We invite border law enforcement professionals, customs authorities and public officials working at border checkpoints and harbours to join this focused workshop that sheds light on the complex nature of border corruption. 

The 1.5-hour event is also open to social science researchers and technical experts developing early warning tools such as red flags and risk indicators. It is led by the Basel Institute on Governance as part of the EU-funded FALCON (Fight Against Large-scale Corruption and Organised Crime Networks) project.

Why you should attend

This workshop gives frontline officials and public bodies working at or with borders the chance to better understand corruption mechanisms that may go unnoticed – from collusion and coercion between border agents and criminals to fully networked systems involving public offices and private companies. It also supports efforts to detect and prevent such corruption with practical tools and shared experience.

Participants will gain insight from two in-depth case studies on border corruption: one from the Rotterdam harbour in the Netherlands and another from the Kapitan Andreevo land border crossing between Türkiye and Bulgaria. By exploring these real-world examples, the workshop will present a clear conceptual framework and the changing nature of criminal tactics at EU borders.

Interactive and practical

As part of the session, participants will be guided through a scenario-based exercise that puts new knowledge into practice. This hands-on activity will help enforcement staff and researchers identify red flags and better understand how to act on potential risks in fast-moving border environments.

Who should attend

• Primary audience: Border police, customs officials, port and harbour security officers and other public authorities operating in border zones.
• Secondary audience: Social scientists and technical professionals working on corruption detection, cross-border crime, risk assessment or public administration

Join us for a focused, solutions-oriented discussion that supports a coordinated approach to securing borders and protecting against crime and corruption.

Workshop leaders and presenters

• Dr. Claudia Baez-Camargo, Director of Prevention, Research and Innovation, Basel Institute on Governance (moderator)
• Dr. Jacopo Costa, Senior Specialist, Prevention, Research and Innovation at the Basel Institute on Governance
• Dr. Saba Kassa, Senior Specialist and Deputy Director, Prevention, Research and Innovation
• Noémi Jäger, Associate, Prevention, Research and Innovation, Basel Institute on Governance

Details and registration

• Date: 23 September 2025 
• Time: 14.00 – 15.30 CEST
• Register: Teams registration

Acknowledgement and disclaimer

This workshop is part of the FALCON (Fight Against Large-scale Corruption and Organised Crime Networks) project. This project is funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe Framework Program Grant Agreement ID 101121281. The Basel Institute on Governance, as an associated partner without the right to receive funds directly from the European Research Executive Agency, has received funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). The contents of this workshop are the sole responsibility of the organisers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the European Research Executive Agency or SERI.