Article 11

1. Member States shall take the necessary measures to provide for a limitation period that enables the investigation, prosecution, trial and adjudication of criminal offences referred to in Articles 3 and 4 for a sufficient period of time after the commission of those criminal offences, in order for those criminal offences to be tackled effectively. 2. The limitation period referred to in paragraph 1 shall be of at least five years from the commission of a criminal offence punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of at least five years. 3. Member States shall take the necessary measures to provide for a limitation period of at least five years from the date of the final conviction for a criminal offence referred to in Articles 3 and 4 that enables the enforcement of the following penalties imposed following that conviction: a penalty of imprisonment of more than one year; or a penalty of imprisonment for a criminal offence punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of at least five years. 4. By way of derogation from paragraphs 2 and 3, Member States may establish a limitation period that is shorter than five years, but not shorter than three years, provided that such limitation period may be interrupted or suspended in the event of specified acts.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-10-12 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.