EU Criminal Law

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The Development of EU Competence in Criminal Matters

Criminal law was historically excluded from the European Community’s competence, which focused on economic integration under the Treaty of Rome. The Maastricht Treaty (1992) introduced the Third Pillar — Justice and Home Affairs — creating intergovernmental cooperation on criminal matters outside the Community method. The Third Pillar operated on unanimity in the Council and limited roles for the Commission, European Parliament, and Court of Justice, producing Framework Decisions that lacked direct effect. The Amsterdam Treaty (1999) transferred some areas to the Community Pillar and incorporated the Schengen acquis, but criminal law cooperation remained primarily intergovernmental.

Criminal Law on ExcellentWiki - Legal Encyclopedia

EU Criminal Law

The Development of EU Competence in Criminal Matters