In connection with the recent terrorist attacks in
Paris and Copenhagen many citizens around the Union are experiencing fear for
new attacks. At the moment there is a need to discuss about how new attacks can
be prevented through more effective methods against terrorism while at same
time having high respect for citizens personal integrities, freedoms and
dignities.
The actions against terrorism
need to be based on rule of law principles such as juridical liability and proportionality.
Except of developing actions ad methods against terrorism on European or
national level, it is also important to establish a working procedure which
would mean that the eventual violation of personal integrity, human rights and
civil liberties from the side of law enforcement are
not unjustified, unnecessary and unproportioned.
One of the main challenges regarding terrorism is that
terrorism often is border crossing. Technically seen a terrorist act can be
planned in one member state, financed from another and performed in a third.
Within the Union there have been many discussions about ”sharing and pooling”
information and stronger cooperation between national security agencies. But
now is the time to go from words into actions.
The member states are still going to have the most of responsibility
regarding terrorism prevention on national level. At the same time the recent developments
are showing that there is a need to make it clear how actions against terrorism can be performed
on European level. Democracy, rule of law and actions against terrorism need to
go hand in hand. For that reason we in ALDE are proposing the following five
proosals for a more secure Union by dynamic actions against
terrorism which at the same time can satisfy the opinions of many citizens
regarding the demands for respect of personal freedoms and integrity:
1. The establishment of a
fully-fledged European Intelligence Service called EurIntel;
2. Strengthening of Europol including a European Counter Terrorism Centre
3. Strengthening of Eurojust in parallel with the establishment of a European Public Prosecutor’s Office that covers terrorism
4. Integrate counter terrorism policy in the European External Action Service
5. Better coordination of national prevention strategies.
