The evolution of European Union criminal law (1957-2012)

Finally, besides the political and legal influence, the discourse around organised crime
was also embedded in the organisational structure of the EU framework for cooperation.
This can be seen in the Joint Action on the “Falcone Programme” 329 , noted above, whose
main objective was to monitor the implementation of the Action Plan to combat
organised crime. This Joint Action noted that
“it is therefore necessary for the implementation of this programme to adopt a broad
approach to the phenomena of organised crime, including economic crime, fraud,
corruption and money laundering”.
The Joint Action on the exchange of liaison magistrates highlights how the creation of
an exchange network would
“…help in effectively combating all forms of transnational crime, particularly organised
crime and terrorism as well as fraud affecting the interests of the Community”. 330
Similar connections appear in the preamble of the Joint Action on trafficking in human
beings and sexual exploitation of children where it is stated that these
“…may constitute an important form of international organised crime, the extent of
which within the European Union is becoming increasingly worrying”. 331
Likewise, the Joint Action concerning liaison magistrates also mentions their
significance as they play a
“…role of paramount importance in cooperation in preventing and combating all forms
of international crime, pursuant to Article K.1 (9) of the Treaty, including organised
crime”. 332
Furthermore, the EU’s newly created operational actors – EDU and later on Europol -
were also to give a great deal of attention to organised crime. The Europol Convention,
for example, states in Article 1 that the objective of Europol shall be
329 Joint Action 98/245/JHA, supra note 272.
330 Preamble of the Joint Action 96/277/ JHA of 22 April 1996 adopted by the Council on the
basis of Article K.3 of the Treaty on European Union, concerning a framework for the exchange
of liaison magistrates to improve judicial cooperation between the Member States of the
European Union, OJ L 105/1 [1995].
331 Preamble of the Joint Action 97/154/JHA, supra note 247.
332 Preamble of the Joint Action 96/602/ JHA, supra note 224.
91