Lisbon, 1 October 2026

Phygital-OC contributed to the European Crime Prevention Conference in Lisbon, highlighting how advanced technologies and stronger public-private cooperation can help prevent young people from being recruited into organised crime.

Held on 30 September and 1 October, the European Crime Prevention Conference is a biennial event organised by the Secretariat of the European Crime Prevention Network and the European Network on the Administrative Approach (EUCPN-ENAA), with funding from the European Commission.

The event brought together policymakers, practitioners and academics from across Europe to share knowledge, exchange practical experience and strengthen cooperation on crime prevention. This year’s edition focused on preventing youth recruitment and using administrative measures to tackle organised crime.

Representing Phygital-OC, Sergio Bianchi, Director of Agenfor International, explored how capabilities being developed through the project’s work to dismantle organised crime could support earlier identification of youth recruitment and more effective prevention.

His presentation emphasised that recruitment takes place across physical and digital environments, where online influence, social vulnerabilities and local relationships intersect. Schools, youth services, civil society organisations (CSOs), online platforms and businesses may encounter early indicators before law enforcement. Cooperation between these actors is therefore essential to bring together fragmented observations and inform timely, lawful action.

Bianchi outlined how open-source intelligence (OSINT) can help identify recruitment narratives, recurring accounts, patterns across online platforms and links with physical criminal environments. He stressed that these findings must be verified by practitioners, supported by reliable sources and handled through clear procedures that protect young people and their rights.

Through the development and adoption of advanced technologies, Phygital-OC aims to strengthen investigative capabilities and support secure information sharing. Bianchi explored how these technologies can help authorised partners organise and compare indicators while keeping information under the control of its lawful holders. Competent authorities remain responsible for validating findings and deciding whether preventive, protective or investigative action is justified.

The contribution demonstrated how Phygital-OC’s work to adopt advanced technologies and strengthen international cooperation can support the prevention of youth recruitment. Connecting digital insight with the knowledge of practitioners and communities can help identify risks earlier and protect vulnerable young people.

The conference is one of a number of international events through which Phygital-OC is building connections, sharing insights and raising awareness of its work. Engagement with practitioners, policymakers and potential partners across Europe and beyond supports the project’s ambition to strengthen international cooperation and build a more effective collective response to organised crime.