Given that integration into different spheres of international relations has become a prio-rity, the joint effort of the international community to combat crime can certainly be considered as one of the priorities of international cooperation. In the process of co-operation, states address such important issues as harmonizing the qualification of crimes that pose a threat to several states, coordinating measures to prevent and repress them, establishing jurisdiction over offenders, and legal assistance in criminal matters. In this article the author elucidates some difficulties of international legal assistance in criminal matters, making recommendations for remedying some gaps in this field.