The European Parliament and the Council may, by means of directives adopted in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure, establish minimum rules concerning the definition of criminal offences and sanctions in the areas of particularly serious crime with a cross-border dimension resulting from the nature or impact of such offences or from a special need to combat them on a common basis.
Féadfaidh Parlaimint na hEorpa agus an Chomhairle, ag gníomhú dóibh i gcomhréir leis an ngnáthnós imeachta reachtach trí bhíthin treoracha, rialacha íosta a bhunú maidir le cionta coiriúla agus pionóis a shainiú i réimsí na coireachta fíorthromchúisí a bhfuil gné thrasteorann ag baint leo mar gheall ar nádúr na gcionta sin nó mar gheall ar an tionchar a bhíonn acu nó toisc go bhfuil gá faoi leith ann iad a chomhrac ar bhonn comhchoiteann.