European Union – Police and Customs cooperation. A historical perspective

The aim of this essay is to present the development and current state of Police and customs cooperation within the EU. Therefore, we present the subject in chronological order since the creation of the European Atomic Energy Community and the European Economic Community (1957) until the Treaty of Lisbon (2007). And we argue that the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice can only make sense when the three components are present, without detriment to any.