Originally, responsibility for combating international crime was given to the Europol Drugs Unit, which exchanges information between Member States to improve police and judicial cooperation. On 1 October 1998, the new European Police Office (Europol) took over the responsibilities of the Drugs Unit, a temporary structure put in place in 1994 pending the entry into force of the Europol Convention.

The fight against international crime was one of the fields included in the new Title VI of the Maastricht Treaty. This explicit reference enabled the Member States to go beyond the mere exchange of information.

During the Amsterdam European Council in June 1997, the political will of the Member States in the fight against organised crime was translated into an action programme setting the European Union's priorities. In addition, a pre-accession pact on organised crime was signed on 28 May 1998 with the candidate countries.

Under the Amsterdam Treaty, one of the Union's objectives is to provide its citizens with a high level of safety within an area of freedom, security and justice. This objective is to be achieved through crime prevention and by combating associated phenomena, including terrorism, trafficking in human beings, crimes against children, drug trafficking, arms trafficking, corruption and fraud.

After the entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty, the main objectives of the fight against crime were defined at the special European Council meeting held in Tampere in October 1999.

The Nice Treaty provided a basis for action and for the setting up of a unit of public prosecutors, magistrates or national police officers with equivalent powers (Eurojust).

In setting up the European Police Office (Europol), which became operational in June 1999, and Eurojust (following the decision of 28 February 2002), the Member States have established cooperation between their criminal investigation services and judicial authorities so as to combat organised crime effectively.

The Union also takes part in the meetings of a number of international organisations, including the G8, the United Nations, the OECD, the international Financial Action Task Force and the Council of Europe.

See:

•Europol (European Police Office) 
•Justice and home affairs (JHA)
•Measures to combat money laundering
•Police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters
•Pre-accession pact on organised crime

The following video provides you with the correct English pronunciation of the word "Fight against international organised crime", to help you become a better English speaker.