High Court judge Mr Justice Carney is in favour of proposals for a "single legal area" in the EU when dealing with certain criminal offences.
Mr Justice Carney said recent events involving the European Commission demonstrated the challenge facing the EU in attempting to combat fraud against its budget.
"It is essential that a broader perspective than the traditional territorial application of criminal law is adopted," he told the annual conference of the Corporate and Public Services Solicitors' Association in Dublin.
"There must be a consistent and transparent means of dealing with such crimes. There must be an effective mechanism whereby those responsible are brought to justice within an appropriate forum, without any danger of differing treatment between jurisdictions."
