The harmonization of legislative provisions in criminal matters as an instrument of judicial cooperation in the European Union: goals and difficulties

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the use of harmonization of legislative provisions in criminal matters as an instrument of judicial cooperation in the European Union. Through exploratory research based on European and international documentary and bibliographic analysis and review, we will analyze the origins of harmonization on the European Union, its evolution throughout the Treaty of Maastricht, the Treaty of Amsterdam and the Treaty of Lisbon, as well as its current context and the objectives and challenges that harmonization faces in the current European Union legal scenario. At the end, we conclude that while it lost a portion of its autonomy because of the changes brought by the Treaty of Lisbon, harmonization must still be seen as a valuable and viable tool for preventing and fighting serious, organized and cross-border crime.

Keywords

• harmonização
• aproximação
• harmonização de leis penais
• cooperação judiciária.