EU competence in criminal matters

Handbook EU competence in criminal matters The express conferral on the EU by the Treaty of Lisbon of a competence in criminal matters has definitively established the integration of Criminal Law into the European legal order, and its evolution from a Member State exclusive competence into a shared one, subject (with some important derogations) to the general principles supporting (proper) EU competences of this nature. The chapter analyses the most significant provisions in the Treaty regulating the competence of the EU legislature in this field (in particular articles 67, 82-86, 325 TFEU), also affecting in various ways Member States discretion, showing the overall picture of principles, legal acts, institutions involved, joined by a punctual exam of the many critical issues arising from that significant step made in Lisbon, with respect to both European Law and Criminal Law general principles.