The Profit Motive in the Crime of Migrant Smuggling: Critical Analysis of European Legislation

Abstract

The present paper critically analyzes the European legislation on smuggling of migrants. According to the author's opinion, the communitarian legislator and the majority of the European countries have confused this specific crime, regulated by international law in Palermo Convention, with the felony of facilitating of illegal immigration. This undue overlap between different types of crime generates multiple and complex problems. In first place, the article studies the requirements of smuggling of migrants in international law. In second place, it examines the reasons why is not possible to conceive this crime and the felony of facilitating of illegal immigration as functional equivalents. Finally, the paper proposes to distinguish clearly the elements of both crimes and their respective application ambits.

The present paper critically analyzes the European legislation on smuggling of migrants. According to the author's opinion, the communitarian legislator and the majority of the European countries have confused this specific crime, regulated by international law in Palermo Convention, with the felony of facilitating of illegal immigration. This undue overlap between different types of crime generates multiple and complex problems. In first place, the article studies the requirements of smuggling of migrants in international law. In second place, it examines the reasons why is not possible to conceive this crime and the felony of facilitating of illegal immigration as functional equivalents. Finally, the paper proposes to distinguish clearly the elements of both crimes and their respective application ambits.