The Politics of EU Police Cooperation: Toward a European FBI?

Will the European Union soon have a policing agency similar to the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation? John Occhipinti traces the evolution of the European Police Office (Europol), bringing to life the core themes—e.g., the tension between supranationalism and intergovernmentalism, concerns over the "democratic deficit" in the EU, and the impact of enlargement—in the study of European integration. Occhipinti draws from competing theories of European integration to explain the development of supranationalism in European police cooperation. Considering forces stemming from both within and outside of the EU and reflecting concerns over international terrorism and transnational organized crime, he explores the roles played by key actors and events at every stage of Europol's development, from the initial creation of the Trevi Group in 1975 to mid-2002. His work is a major contribution not only to the literature on Third Pillar issues, but also to an understanding of the deepening of European integration overall.