Council Framework Decision 2001/413/JHA of 28 May 2001 combating fraud and counterfeiting of non-cash means of payment

Under this framework decision, fraud involving any form of non-cash means of payment will be recognised as a criminal offence that is punishable by effective, proportionate and dissuasive penalties in all EU countries.

The framework decision deliberately avoids references to specific offences under the existing criminal law because they do not cover the same elements everywhere. Instead, the framework decision merely lists the various types of behaviour that should be criminal offences throughout the Union. Different types of behaviour are defined on the basis of whether they are directed at the payment instrument itself or the making of payment instruments, one or more payment transactions or the system itself for ordering, collecting, processing, clearing and settling payment transactions.