Project MORE is aimed at identifying, assessing and mapping the risk of serious and organised crime (SOC) infiltration of legal businesses across territories and business sectors in the EU. In order to do so, it develops an exploratory risk assessment model (RAM) of infiltration tested across selected territories and business sectors.

Previous research on SOC infiltration (see Links and Materials) identified various drivers of infiltration (e.g. money laundering, concealing illicit trafficking, controlling the territory, etc), a variety of infiltrated territories and business sectors, modi operandi, and ownership and management strategies. However, there is a lack of comprehensive analysis identifying the risk factors (at contextual and company level) that may facilitate infiltration.

Project MORE addresses this gap by analysing cases of companies infiltrated in order to identify the risk factors:

• At contextual level (e.g. characteristics of territories, business sectors, public procurement types)
• At business ownership level (e.g. nature of owners, type of control structure, etc)
• At business management level (e.g. financing strategy, use of assets, profitability)

It then develops a risk assessment model (RAM) to be tested in selected territories and business sectors. Building on a detailed analysis in three EU countries (Germany, Italy and Sweden), MORE will extend the study to other EU MS.

Special focus is given to businesses involved in corruption in public procurement in the EU, that can be considered as one of the best available proxies for organised crime infiltration in legitimate businesses.

A large audience will benefit from the findings of project MORE, including:

• Researchers and academics, who can improve their understanding of organised crime infiltration and corruption dynamics
• Public institutions, both within and outside the EU, e.g. those involved in monitoring public procurement
• Policy makers, who can use MORE results to plan more effective policies in this field
• LEAs which can identify the risky areas in which to strengthen investigation and monitoring
• Obliged entities subject to anti-money laundering and anti-corruption obligations