law enforcement
Europe's Growing Terror Threat
Europe is currently facing the most significant terrorist threat the region has experienced in over a decade, according to the EU.
The attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015 indicated a shift towards a clear international dimension of Islamic State to carry out special forces-style attacks in the international environment. Coupled with the ever-growing number of foreign fighters, this is posing new challenges for European Union (EU) Member States, experts predict.
More attacks in the EU may happen in the future, so there is an urgent and great need to strengthen the EU’s response to the terrorist threat, suspected terrorist networks and foreign fighters alike, and for Member States to harbour an improved strategic understanding of the threat landscape.
“Institutions responded swiftly and strongly to the terrorist attacks of last year, and moved to augment the EU’s capacity to deal with the terrorist threat,” outlined Dimitris Avramopoulos, European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship.
“As foreseen in the European Agenda on Security put forward by the European Commission,” continued Avramopoulos, “the establishment of the European Counter-Terrorism Centre is a major strategic opportunity for the EU to render its collective efforts to fight terrorism more effectively. I now call upon all EU Member States to trust and support the European Counter-Terrorism Centre and help it to succeed in its important mission.”
This month’s launch of the European Counter-Terrorism Centre follows on from a decision made by the EU’s Justice and Home Affairs Ministers last November. The European Counter-Terrorism Centre will be an enhanced central information hub by which Member States can increase information sharing and operational co-ordination.
“The European Counter-Terrorism Centre is going to improve the exchange of information between law enforcement agencies,” explained Ard van der Steur, Minister of Security and Justice for the Netherlands and current president of the Council of the EU. “This is exactly the kind of co-operation Europe desperately needs in the ongoing fight against organised crime and terrorism.”
