Organized Crime Legislation in the European Union: Harmonization and Approximation of Criminal Law, National Legislations and the EU Framework Decision on the Fight Against Organized Crime

201 Pages·2010·4.55 MB·English

by  Francesco Calderoni (auth.)

Francesco Calderoni
Organized
Crime Legislation
in the European
Union
Harmonization and Approximation
of Criminal Law,
National Legislations and the
EU Framework Decision on the Fight
Against Organized Crime
123
Organized Crime Legislation
in the European Union
.
Francesco Calderoni
Organized Crime Legislation
in the European Union
Harmonization and Approximation
of Criminal Law,
National Legislations and the
EU Framework Decision on the Fight
Against Organized Crime
FrancescoCalderoni
ViaValparaiso8
20144Milano
Italy
[email protected]
ISBN:978-3-642-04330-7 e-ISBN:978-3-642-04331-4
DOI10.1007/978-3-642-04331-4
SpringerHeidelbergDordrechtLondonNewYork
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2009939122
#Springer-VerlagBerlinHeidelberg2010
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Acknowledgement
This book benefited from many valuable contributions. I am indebted to many
people.Ihavelearnedmuchfromthisexperience,firstlyaboutlifeandaboutme.
Thanks to my parents Giovanna and Alessandro and to my brother Marco.
Thanks to my uncle and aunt, Augusto and Kimberly and to Steve and Kathy.
Thankstomyfriends,toBenedettoandAnneleen.AbovealltoAnna.
Thanks to past and present people from Transcrime. Prof. Ernesto Savona
believed in me and supported my project. Many colleagues and friends offered
meusefulsuggestionsandtoleratedmyunusualrequests.Aspecialthanksgoesto
Areti Antoniou, Francesca Belton, Federica Curtol, Francesco Gosetti, Damiano
Salvetti,ValentinaTenti.
Some professors, colleagues and fellow researchers provided me important
supportandinformation.Amongthem,IwouldliketomentionYvonDandurand,
Simona Diblikova, Gabriele Fornasari, Bart Keupink, Goran Klemencic, Stefano
Manacorda,VincenzoMilitello,DarrylPlecas,JeanPradel,ChristianSchuster.
Theresearchcouldnothavebeenstartedwithoutthefundamentalsupportofthe
followingindividualsandinstitutions:
l United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – Dimitri Vlassis and Demostenes
Chryssikos
l European Police College CEPOL – Italian contact point – Rossana Farina,
SalvatoreSienaandEmanueleMarotta
l European Judicial Network EJN – Angel Galgo, Fa´tima Ae´lia Pires Martins,
PatriciaRosochowicz
l General Secretariat, Council of the European Union – Hans Nilsson, Guy
Stessens,PaolaFiore
l Eurojust-ItalianDesk–CarmenManfredda,CristianoRipoli,FilippoSpiezia
Manynationalexpertscontributedtotheresearchansweringthequestionnaire.
Without their assistance completion of this book would have not been possible.
Theyare:
l Austria–HelmutBa¨rtl
l Cyprus–PanayiotisNicolaides
v
vi Acknowledgement
l TheCzechRepublic–MarcelaPrˇikrylova´,MiroslavPolcar,PetrLanger
l Estonia–U¨lleEelmaa
l Finland–SamiKiriakos
l France–Marie-PierreAgneray
l Germany–WolfgangNiewald,PerditaKro¨ger
l Greece–AlexandrosAnastasiadis,SaharidesDimitrios
l Ireland–GerryHickey,HughBoyle
l Italy–StefanoDodaro,FurioTiripicchio,AntonioMannoni
l Latvia–AndrisKalnin¸sˇ
l Lithuania–IrmantasMikelionis
l Malta–MicallefDominic
l TheNetherlands–BartKeupink,PaulVerloop
l Poland–ElzbietaWolinska-Wro´bel
l Portugal–JoanaGomesFerreira,TeresaAlvesMartins
l Romania–AnghelCristian,DeliaStanescu
l Slovakia–LadislavHamran
l Slovenia–BojanDobovsˇek
l Sweden–BoA˚stro¨m
l TheUnitedKingdom–IanWelch
Thisbookcoversthelegislationof27MemberStatesoftheEuropeanUnion.I
tried to provide the most up-to-date and reliable information. I apologize for any
mistake. I will be happy to receive comments and criticisms at francesco.calder-
[email protected].
Contents
1 HarmonizationandApproximationPoliciesinthe
EuropeanUnion ............................................................ 1
1.1 DefiningHarmonizationandApproximationofCriminalLaw
intheEU ................................................................ 2
1.1.1 Harmonization .................................................... 2
1.1.2 Approximation .................................................... 4
1.2 TheEUPolicyintheIIIPillarandHarmonizationand
ApproximationofCriminalLaw ....................................... 7
1.2.1 TheEvolutionoftheEUPolicyonApproximationand
HarmonizationofCriminalLaw ................................. 7
1.2.2 HarmonizationandApproximationofCriminalLaw
andthePrincipleofMutualRecognition ....................... 16
1.3 ConclusionsofChapter1 .............................................. 20
2 OrganizedCrimeLegislation:ReasonsandBackground
fortheAssessmentofHarmonizationandApproximation ............ 21
2.1 ReasonsforAssessingtheSectorofOrganizedCrime ............... 21
2.1.1 ReasonsRelatingtotheEUPolicyintheIIIPillar ............ 22
2.1.2 TheLackofComparativeResearchintheSectorof
OrganizedCrime ................................................ 25
2.2 TheMainInstrumentsAimingatHarmonizationand
ApproximationofEUMemberStates’Organized
CrimeLegislation ...................................................... 26
2.2.1 TheJointActiononMakingItaCriminalOffenceto
ParticipateinaCriminalOrganizationintheMember
StatesoftheEuropeanUnion .................................. 27
2.2.2 TheUnitedNationsConventionAgainstTransnational
OrganizedCrime ................................................ 32
2.2.3 TheFrameworkDecisionontheFightAgainst
OrganisedCrime ................................................ 35
vii
viii Contents
2.2.4 RemarksontheLegalInstrumentsAiming
atHarmonizationandApproximation
ofOrganizedCrimeLegislation ................................ 41
2.3 ConclusionsofChapter2.TheAssessment
ofOrganizedCrimeLegislation ....................................... 45
3 TheMethodology .......................................................... 47
3.1 TheMethodology:AssessingThroughIndicators .................... 47
3.1.1 Objectives,OperationalDefinitions
andMethodology ............................................... 47
3.1.2 DataGathering .................................................. 50
3.1.3 TheAnalysis .................................................... 51
3.2 PossibleProblemsRelatedtotheMethodology ....................... 52
3.3 ConclusionsofChapter3 .............................................. 54
4 AssessingHarmonization:TheHorizontalAnalysis .................... 55
4.1 StructureofCriminalLaw ............................................. 55
4.1.1 CriminalOrganizationOffences ................................ 55
4.1.2 AggravatingCircumstances .................................... 59
4.1.3 PunishabilityoftheMereAgreementtoaCriminal
Organization .................................................... 64
4.2 RequirementsoftheCriminalOrganization .......................... 68
4.2.1 NumberofMembersofaCriminalOrganization .............. 68
4.2.2 StructureoftheCriminalOrganization ........................ 71
4.2.3 ContinuityoftheCriminalOrganization ....................... 74
4.3 TheActivitiesofaCriminalOrganization ............................ 77
4.3.1 NumberofPredicateOffences ................................. 77
4.3.2 TypeofPredicateOffences ..................................... 80
4.3.3 AdditionalRequirements ....................................... 84
4.4 ThePenalties ........................................................... 89
4.4.1 StandardPenaltyforParticipation/Membership ............... 89
4.4.2 PenaltyDifferentiation .......................................... 92
4.5 CollaboratorswithJustice ............................................. 96
4.5.1 BenefitsforCollaboratorswithJustice ......................... 96
4.5.2 RequirementsforBenefits ...................................... 99
4.6 LegalPersons ......................................................... 102
4.6.1 LiabilityofLegalPersons ..................................... 102
4.6.2 SanctionsforLegalPersons ................................... 106
4.7 RulesonJurisdiction .................................................. 110
4.8 ConclusionsofChapter4.Considerationsonthe
HarmonizationofCriminalOrganizationLegislation
AmongEUMemberStates ........................................... 114
4.8.1 DifferentCriminalLawApproachestoOrganizedCrime .... 115
4.8.2 TheLevelofHarmonizationAmongEUMemberStates .... 117
Contents ix
5 AssessingApproximation:TheVerticalAnalysis ...................... 123
5.1 Article1:Definitions ................................................. 123
5.1.1 NumberofMembers ........................................... 123
5.1.2 NumberofPredicateOffences ................................ 125
5.1.3 TypeofPredicateOffences .................................... 126
5.1.4 StructureoftheCriminalOrganization ....................... 128
5.1.5 ContinuityoftheCriminalOrganization ...................... 130
5.1.6 AdditionalRequirements ...................................... 131
5.2 Article2:OffencesRelatingtoParticipationinaCriminal
Organisation .......................................................... 134
5.3 Article3:Penalties .................................................... 136
5.3.1 StandardPenaltyforParticipation/Membership .............. 137
5.3.2 AggravatingCircumstance .................................... 138
5.4 Article4:SpecialCircumstances ..................................... 141
5.5 Article5:LiabilityofLegalPersons ................................. 143
5.5.1 CrimesCommittedbyPersonsHavingaLeading
PositionWithintheLegalPerson ............................. 143
5.5.2 CrimesMadePossiblebyaLackofSupervision
orControl ...................................................... 145
5.6 Article6:PenaltiesforLegalPersons ................................ 147
5.6.1 Criminal/Non-CriminalFines ................................. 147
5.6.2 OtherPenalties ................................................. 149
5.7 Article7:Jurisdiction ................................................. 152
5.7.1 TerritorialJurisdiction ......................................... 152
5.7.2 JurisdictionoverOffencesCommittedbyaNational ......... 152
5.7.3 JurisdictionoverOffencesCommittedfortheBenefit
ofaLegalPersonEstablishedintheTerritory ................ 153
5.8 ConclusionsofChapter5.ConsiderationsontheLevel
ofApproximationtotheStandardsoftheFramework
Decision(2008/841/JHA) ............................................. 155
6 ConclusionsandImplications ........................................... 165
6.1 PossibilitiesforFurtherResearch .................................... 165
6.2 ConsiderationsontheEuropeanPoliciesonHarmonizationand
ApproximationofOrganizedCrimeLegislation ..................... 166
6.2.1 CriminalOrganizationOffences:ATrade-OffBetween
EffectivenessandLegality? ................................... 166
6.2.2 TheExpectedImpactoftheFrameworkDecision
(2008/841/JHA):AFurthertrompel’œilwithPossible
DangerousConsequences ...................................... 170
6.3 FinalConclusions ..................................................... 172
Bibliography .................................................................. 175
Index .......................................................................... 187