Luxembourg, 26/04/2002 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday, European Justice Ministers decided to make their method for harmonising penalties more flexible. Henceforth, they will fix the minimum level of punishment for an offence or crime within a range counted in years. Thus: for a category 1 offence, each Member State should include in its legislation a penalty comprised between at least 1 and 3 years; - category 2: between 2 and 5 years at least; - category 3: between 5 and 10 years at least; and category 4: at least 10 years. Member States may still fix a longer sentence. The figure that counts legally is the lowest of the two figures given in the range, and there is no ceiling. The Council may also, exceptionally, decide to fix a minimum threshold above 10 years. On the other hand, for less serious offences, it may simply decide that Member States should apply "effective, proportionate and dissuasive" penalties, but without fixing a threshold (see EUROPE of 19 April, p.10).