With the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam, these new instruments under Title VI of the European Union Treaty (Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters) have replaced joint action. More binding and more authoritative, they should serve to make action under the reorganised third pillar more effective.
According to Article 34(2) of the EU Treaty, framework decisions are used to approximate (align) the laws and regulations of the member states. Proposals are made on the initiative of the Commission or a member state and they have to be adopted unanimously. They are binding on the member states as to the result to be achieved but leave the form and methods to the national authorities. A framework decision resembles more or less a directive adoped under Article 249 of the EC Treaty. It is likewise subject to judicial review by the European Court of Justice(See Case C-176/03 the Commission vs. the Council).
The third pillar were incorporated into the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (Title V, Chapter 4 and 5) in accordance with the Treaty of Lisbon that entered into force on 1 December 2009. The framework decisions currently is no longer in use and were replaced by full catalogue of institutional acts of European Union - regulations, directives and decisions