European Union

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Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters (PJC), originally Justice and Home Affairs (JHA), was the third of the three pillars of the European Union (EU), focusing on co-operation in law enforcement and combating racism. It was based more around intergovernmental cooperation than the other pillars meaning there was little input from the Commission, Parliament and the Courts.^[1] It was responsible for policies including the European Arrest Warrant.

[edit] Responsibilities

The Maastricht Treaty established that, while reaching the objectives of the Union, and notably the freedom of movement, the member states consider the following as areas of common interest:

1. Asylum;
2. Rules concerning the entrance of external borders;
3. Immigration policies and policies concerning third countries' citizens:
   • Conditions of entry and circulation for foreign citizens in the territory of the Union;
   • Conditions of residence for foreign citizens in the territory of Member States, comprising families and employment access;
   • Fight against irregular immigration, residence and work of foreigners within the territory of the Union;
4. Combating illicit drugs where this is not covered by point 7), 8) and 9);
5. Fight against international fraud where this is not covered by points 7), 8) and 9);
6. Judicial co-operation in civil matters;
7. Judicial co-operation in penal matters;
8. Customs co-operation;
9. Police co-operation for preventing and fighting terrorism, drugs trade and other grave forms of international criminality, comprising, if necessary, certain aspects of customs co-operation.

There were three EU agencies under the PJC pillar: Eurojust, Europol and European Police College (Cepol).

[edit] History

The three pillars that constituted the EU (clickable)

It was created as the Justice and Home Affairs pillar in the Treaty of Maastricht; subsequently the Treaty of Amsterdam transferred the areas of illegal immigration, visas, asylum, and judicial co-operation in civil matters to the integrated first pillar (European Community). The term Justice and Home Affairs later covers these integrated fields as well as the intergovernmental third pillar.

Before the Maastricht Treaty, member states cooperated at the intergovernmental level in various sectors relating to free movement and personal security («group of co-ordinators», CELAD, TREVI) as well as in customs co-operation (GAM) and judicial policy. With Maastricht, Justice and Home Affairs co-operation aimed at reinforcing actions taken by member states while allowing a more coherent approach of these actions, by offering new tools for coordinating actions.

The Treaty of Lisbon, which entered into force in December 2009, abolished the entire pillar system.

[edit] See also

• Framework decision

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Justice, freedom and security (Europa)