As a result of long efforts by politicians and representatives of police organizations, Europol will start to operate in October 1994 in The Hague. Although various forms of police cooperation already exist in Europe, only Europol can achieve the integration of the national police forces necessary to meet the crime challenges of a United Europe. However, at present, Europol will only include some countries of Western Europe, i.e., the members of the European Union. The countries of Eastern Europe, which are presently experiencing an explosion of crime, have not joined Europol. As a result, the idea of a Europe without borders is only partially realized. Moreover, if Europol does not expand its activities in the near future, Western Europe will be permanently threatened by the crime developments in Eastern Europe. Because of its small size, the Slovenian police especially needs to be included in European police organizations; it must raise its police training, organization, communication, and technology to international standards to protect itself against the influx of Europe's crimes (in particular, organized crime and economic crime).