CHAPTER 24 – JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND SECURITY
EU policies under Chapter 24 are aimed to maintain and further develop the Union as an area of freedom, security and justice.
The member-states are expected to be properly prepared for adequate implementation of the growing framework of common rules on issues such as border control, visas, external migration, asylum, police cooperation, fight against organized crime, fight against terrorism, cooperation in the field of drugs, customs cooperation, and judicial cooperation in criminal and civil law.
Primarily, this requires strong and well-integrated administrative capacity of law enforcement agencies and other relevant bodies, which are expected to attain the necessary standards. Professional, reliable and efficient police organization is of paramount importance.
The most detailed part of the EU policies on justice, freedom and security concerns the Schengen acquis, which implies elimination of internal border controls within the EU. However, for new member-states significant parts of the Schengen acquis are implemented according to a separate decision by the Council that is taken after accession.