Professional and economic life is more and more impaired by transnational money laundering activities. These activities cause remarkable damages to the society and individuals and confront prosecutors as well as advising professionals with difficult problems. This thesis concerning the area of European Criminal Law suggests legislative solutions to these problems and analyses them with regard to their ability of effective prosecution on the one hand and the respect of fundamental rights and guarantees on the other hand. With reference to experiences made by selected European member states, possibilities to define money laundering in a harmonizing directive are discussed and recommended. Reflecting critically on European legislation in criminal law, the thesis develops a European model for a money laundering offense which is supposed to solve the numerous current problems arising due to transnational money laundering.