The Center for Cyber Resilience of the Delphi Economic Forum has announced the publication of its new Policy Paper titled "Policies for Combating Illicit Digital Trade: From Fragmented Information to a Common Operational Picture and Unified Strategic Planning".
This policy paper captures the findings of a closed-door roundtable discussion (conducted under the Chatham House Rule) organized by the Center for Cyber Resilience with the support of BAT Hellas. The roundtable brought together representatives from the government, law enforcement and tax authorities, as well as leading executives from the market and technology sectors.
Illicit Digital Trade: A Modern Threat
Illicit digital trade represents one of the major contemporary threats to the national economy, legitimate entrepreneurship, and consumer safety. It operates within a hybrid ecosystem, where advertising and payments are conducted digitally, while production and distribution remain physical. According to OECD–EUIPO data, global trade in counterfeit goods reaches $467 billion, accounting for 4.7% of European Union imports. Meanwhile, the dominance of high-volume, small-scale shipments—which accounted for 97% of all EU shipments in 2025—renders universal physical inspections practically impossible.
However, the primary operational deficit lies in fragmentation: no single agency holds the complete picture. Police, Customs, banks, digital platforms, and logistics companies monitor isolated segments of the same supply and criminal chain, allowing organized networks to exploit these gaps in cooperation.
A 5-Point Roadmap for Greece
The Policy Paper clearly emphasizes that rather than establishing a new state authority or undergoing a generalized legislative overhaul, Greece needs a targeted institutional interconnection of its existing capabilities.
- Common Operational Picture
- Data Intelligence & AI
- "Follow the Money" Principle
- Targeted Interventions
- Prevention & Trust
Read the Policy Paper