Europol: The Culmination of the European Union\u27s International Police Cooperation Efforts

This Comments argues that the Europol Convention will be an effective and workable mechanism for countering international crime within the European Union, and therefore should be ratified by Member States. Part I discusses the theoretical basis for international police cooperation, and analyzes the agreements and initiatives among EU Member States which predate Europol. Part II examines the obstacles that have delayed the completion of the Europol Convention, as well as the particular aspets of the Convention that may delay or prevent its ratification. Part III argues that existing EU Member States\u27 agreements permit Europol to contribute substantially to EU police investigations and prosecutions