ABSTRACT

With the publication of ‘The prevention and control of organised crime: a European Union strategy for the beginning of the new millennium’ in May 2000, the EU set itself the goal of developing an integrated strategy to prevent and control transnational organised crime (TOC). Although a number of policies and institutional arrangements were already in place at this time, the view from within the EU was that they ‘do not constitute a clear and coherent strategy for the European Union in this field’ (Council, 2000: 4). This chapter provides an overview of EU-level policy responses that have emerged since 1997, and gives an account of the policy-making process that has underpinned these developments. A number of concerns are raised with regard to the accountability of this process, given the far-reaching significance of a number of developments implemented in the name of ‘reinforcing the fight against serious organised and transnational crime’ (Commission, 1999: paragraph 40).