Senior International Non-Permanent Expert to produce a threat and risk assessment (TRA) on environmental crime in Albania

Albania has demonstrated strong political commitment to the EUaccession process, including the submission of three key roadmaps outlining reform priorities. Notably, the Rule of Law roadmap targets justice reform, anti-corruption, fundamental rights, organized crime, and related issues. In October 2024, Albania began negotiations on Cluster 1, which covers Chapters 23 and 24 (Judiciary and fundamental rights; Justice, freedom, and security). Interim benchmarks have been agreed upon, and Albania is also actively implementing the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, focusing on market integration, economic reforms, and enhanced financial support. The EU’s 2024 Rule of Law Report further underscores Albania’s progress in aligning with EU standards.

Within this context, Phase 2 of the EU4Law Enforcement Project is designed to support Albania’s efforts to strengthen its rule of law institutions and advance alignment with EU standards, particularly in relation to Chapters 23 and 24. Co-financed by the EU and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the project aims to reinforce the capacities of key Albanian institutions, including the Ministry of Interior, the General Prosecution Office, the Albanian State Police, the Special Prosecution Office, and others, in their fight against organized crime and corruption. The project pursues three main outcomes:

(1) enhanced national capacities for structuring complex investigations into serious and organized crime; (2) improved learning and professional development opportunities for law enforcement and judicial actors; and

(3) strengthened ICT infrastructure and operational tools necessary to counter serious and organized crime effectively.

Albania faces a growing challenge in addressing environmental crime, including illegal logging, hazardous waste trafficking, illegal extraction of natural resources, water and air pollution, wildlife crime, and offences affecting protected and coastal areas. These criminal activities generate significant environmental, economic, and social harm and are increasingly linked to organized crime and corruption.

Previously, a dedicated mission on environmental crime identified some structural and operational challenges affecting the Albanian authorities’ capacity to prevent, detect, investigate, and prosecute environmental offences. These challenges include fragmented institutional responsibilities, insufficient inter-agency coordination, limited analytical capabilities, uneven operational capacities across regions, and the absence of a comprehensive strategic assessment of environmental crime threats and risks.

One of the key recommendations emerging from that mission was the development of a national Threat and Risk Assessment (TRA) on environmental crime. Such an assessment would provide Albanian institutions with an evidence-based tool to identify environmental crime trends, vulnerabilities, regional hotspots, and enforcement priorities, while supporting the future development of a national strategic framework in line with European standards and the requirements of Directive (EU) 2024/1203 on the protection of the environment through criminal law.

In response to this recommendation, EU4Law Enforcement under activity 1.2.3.2 of the project Action Plan, will deploy Senior Non-Permanent Experts (NPE) with specialized expertise in environmental crime and protection and threat assessment methodologies to support the preparation of a comprehensive TRA on environmental crime in Albania. The assignment will provide Albanian authorities with a structured and evidence-based analysis of environmental crime threats, associated risks, criminal actors, and enabling factors affecting the country. Furthermore, the assessment will serve as a baseline document for the development of a national strategy including future policies, operational priorities, and capacity-building measures, while facilitating Albania’s alignment with EU standards and obligations under EU Directives.

1. OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

Global objective

To strengthen Albania's strategic and operational capacity to prevent and combat environmental crime through the development of a comprehensive Threat and Risk Assessment (TRA) that supports evidence-based decision-making, intelligence-led enforcement, and enhanced inter-institutional cooperation.

Specific objective(s)

• Assess the main environmental crime threats affecting Albania and their links to organized crime and corruption.
• Identify regional vulnerabilities, emerging risks, operational gaps, and institutional weaknesses in the prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of environmental crime.
• Map environmental crime hotspots and prioritize threats according to likelihood, impact, and institutional readiness.
• Provide strategic recommendations for strengthening inter-agency cooperation, operational responses, prevention mechanisms, and policy development.
• Produce a comprehensive Threat and Risk Assessment (TRA) that may support the future development of a National Strategy on Environmental Crime aligned with EU standards and Directive (EU) 2024/1203.

2. TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Senior International NPE shall work under the supervision of the Permanent Expert on Evolutionary Forms of Organized Crime and Forensics and shall perform the following tasks:

• Conduct a desk review of the Albanian legal, institutional and operational framework related to environmental crime.

• Review previous assessments, reports, statistical data, operational information, and relevant EU legislation and best practices.
  • Develop a methodology and analytical framework for the Threat and Risk Assessment.
  • Conduct consultations, interviews and working meetings with representatives of law enforcement agencies, prosecution offices, environmental authorities, inspectorates, civil society organizations, academia and other relevant stakeholders.
  • Analyse environmental crime trends, modus operandi and cross-border aspects, criminal actors, geographical hotspots, vulnerabilities and institutional capacities.
  • Assess the effectiveness of existing prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution mechanisms.
  • Identify priority threats and risks through a structured risk-ranking methodology.
  • Produce a final Threat and Risk Assessment report, including conclusions, recommendations and proposed follow-up actions.
  • Provide technical advice to support the use of the assessment as a basis for future strategic planning and policy development.

3. OUTPUTS AND DELIVERABLES

Following the preparation of the outputs by the national NPEs, the Senior International NPE will conduct a technical review and consolidate the outputs prior to their submission through the project reporting line.

The assignment will result in the following key outputs and deliverables:

1. Inception note and proposed methodology for the Threat and Risk Assessment.
2. Stakeholder consultation plan and interview framework with relevant institutions and stakeholders.
3. Draft Threat and Risk Assessment (TRA) on environmental crime in Albania.
4. Final Threat and Risk Assessment Report, including:
   • Threat analysis;
   • Risk assessment and prioritization matrix;
   • Identification of regional hotspots;
   • Assessment of institutional vulnerabilities and operational gaps;
   • Strategic and operational recommendations;
   • Proposed follow-up actions and priority areas for intervention.
5. Final Mission Report summarizing activities undertaken, findings, recommendations and support provided.

4. METHODOLOGY

The assignment shall follow a participatory and intelligence-led assessment methodology combining desk research, stakeholder consultations, field assessments and risk analysis techniques.

The expert shall:

• Review relevant legislation, policies, strategic documents, operational reports and available statistical data;
  • Conduct structured meetings and consultations with law enforcement, prosecution services, environmental authorities, inspectorates, local authorities, NGOs and other relevant actors;
  • Apply threat and risk assessment methodologies commonly used within EU Member States and European law enforcement agencies;
  • Identify environmental crime trends, vulnerabilities, risks and regional variations;
• Develop a risk-ranking model considering threat likelihood, impact, vulnerability and institutional response capacity;
  • Validate findings through stakeholder consultations and expert judgment.

The methodology shall ensure compliance with relevant EU standards and best practices related to environmental crime assessment and strategic planning.

5. FINAL RESULTS EXPECTED

Short-term results:

• Comprehensive identification and assessment of environmental crime threats and risks affecting Albania.
• Improved understanding among beneficiary institutions of environmental crime trends, vulnerabilities and operational challenges.
• Availability of a structured evidence base for prioritizing enforcement actions and resource allocation.
• Enhanced dialogue and cooperation among institutions involved in combating environmental crime.

Medium-term results:

• Strengthened national capacity to develop intelligence-led responses to environmental crime.
• Improved inter-institutional coordination mechanisms among law enforcement, prosecution and environmental authorities.
• Contribution to the development of a National Strategy on Environmental Crime aligned with EU standards and Directive (EU) 2024/1203.
• Improved participation of Albanian institutions in relevant European environmental crime and law enforcement networks.
• More effective prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of environmental crime linked to organized crime and corruption.

6. EXPERT PROFILE

Required qualifications and expertise:

The selected Senior International NPE should be a highly experienced professional with an extensive background in law enforcement field, particularly in the field of Environmental Crimes. The Senior International NPE is expected to demonstrate:

• University degree in Law, Criminology, Environmental Sciences, Security Studies, Public Administration or a related field.
  • Minimum 10 years of professional experience in law enforcement, prosecution, environmental crime investigations, environmental protection, criminal intelligence, threat assessment or related fields.
  • Proven experience in conducting threat assessments, risk assessments, strategic analyses or security assessments.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of environmental crime typologies, EU environmental legislation and international best practices.
  • Experience in supporting law enforcement agencies, prosecution services or public institutions in strategic planning and institutional capacity development.
     
• Experience in conducting interviews, consultations and stakeholder engagement processes.
  • Excellent analytical, drafting and reporting skills.
  • Ability to work independently in a multicultural and multi-agency environment.

Preferred Profile:

The ideal candidate should be a senior law enforcement officer active or retired, environmental crime investigator, criminal intelligence analyst, environmental compliance expert, or possess an equivalent professional background. Previous experience in EU-funded projects and technical assistance missions is highly desirable, particularly within the Western Balkans region or other EU accession countries. The expert should demonstrate proven experience in developing national threat and risk assessments, SOCTA-type assessments, environmental crime strategies, or related policy and strategic frameworks. Familiarity with Directive (EU) 2024/1203 on the protection of the environment through criminal law, as well as broader EU environmental crime policies and cooperation mechanisms, will be considered a strong asset.

The working language for this assignment is:

-Business fluency in English C1

7. WORKING DAYS AND LOCATION

Starting date: 7 September to 2 October 2026 (14 to 25 September on-site) Duration: 20 working days to be performed 10 on site and 10 home-based. Location: Tirana, Albania (on-site) and home-based (remote work).

The allocation of days may be adjusted internally based on project needs, subject to prior approval from the EU4Law Enforcement Project Coordinator. However, the total duration of the assignment will remain unchanged.

8. PROPOSED WORK PLAN

Due to the evolving needs of the EU4Law Enforcement Project and its beneficiaries, and to this specific assignment, the proposed work plan may be adjusted or internally reallocated, subject to the approval of the EU4Law Enforcement Project Coordinator. However, the overall scope of activities and the total number of working days for the assignment will remain unchanged.

9. REPORTING

The Senior International NPE shall submit a brief work plan for feedback and informal clearance prior to the mission. The Senior International NPE shall submit no later than two weeks the full mission report and eventual recommendations after the mission's conclusion. All deliverables will be submitted first to the Permanent Expert on Evolutionary forms of OC and Forensics for review and technical endorsement and then forwarded to the Project Coordinator for final approval.

10. CONTACT

The EU4Law Enforcement Project Coordinator shall act as the primary point of contact for the overall assignment, with responsibility for overseeing the general implementation and progress of the mission. In

parallel, the Permanent Expert on Evolutionary forms of OC and Forensics will serve as the designated contact person for the practical organization and day-to-day coordination of the mission. The NPE is expected to maintain regular communication with the Permanent Expert on Evolutionary forms of OC and Forensics regarding logistical arrangements, scheduling, and the organization of meetings. All relevant reports and documentation produced during or after the mission must be submitted jointly to the Permanent Expert on Evolutionary forms of OC and Forensics and EU4Law Enforcement Project Coordinator.

• Mr. Thierry VIGNES, EU4Law Enforcement Permanent Expert on Evolutionary forms of OC and Forensics

Email: thierry.vignes@eu4lea.eu