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EU responses to international terrorism

EU responses to international terrorism. Definition of terrorism.

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EU responses to international terrorism

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  1. EU responses to international terrorism

  2. Definition of terrorism • Schmit & Jongman: ‘an anxiety-inspiring method of repeated violent action, employed by (semi-)clandestine individuals, groups or state actors, for idiosyncratic, criminal or political reasons, whereby- in contrast to assassination- the direct targets of violence are not the main targets […] (but) serve as message generators, • Differences with insurgency or warfare: its psychological impact (anxiety and fear) on society is far greater than its material consequences (physical harm to persons and property) • Transnational character of terrorism • Different constituencies and motivations

  3. Social construction of threat perception • Various interpretations of threats • Causes and motivations • Responses • MSs’ perceptions of the threat: different experiences of the MSs, different political systems and cultures, Muslim population in the EU countries • ESS

  4. Early stages of EC counter-terrorism cooperation The TREVI group • set up in 1975 • Comprised of interior and justice ministers as well as police chiefs • Operation: a telex system for circulating among interior ministers, police forces and security services (separate from the EPC, the foreign ministers, the Commission, and the Council); useful operational coordination in terms of contacts, exchange of information, adoption of a more interoperable communication techniques) • Met biannually • TREVI did not arrive at consensus on a common definition of terrorism, improved extradition procedure, refugee or asylum policies • Explanations: difference in threat perception and different judicial systems

  5. Post 9/11 responses • The European Council, ‘Action Plan on Combating Terrorism’, November 2001: calls for legislation (under the Community method) and voluntary adaptation through peer reviews and identification of best practices; many of these measures were not exclusively or primarily targeted at terrorist activities; they have led to changes across policy areas: intelligence, law enforcement, border control, capital control and foreign policy • A counter-terrorism strategy, December 2005 • 51 adopted and 33 proposed pieces of legislation as well as 22 Commission’s Communications and 21 Reports under the heading of the fight against terrorism • The Office of a EU’s counter-terrorism coordinator- established in 2004; largely symbolic powers; no resources and competences (to propose legislation or share Council’s meetings) • The European Police Office (Europol) – re-establishment of Joint Investigative teams and reporting duties on terrorist activities • The Situation Center (SitCen)- increased role in assessing terrorist-related intelligence; limited staff and no explicit legal mandate

  6. Post 9/11 responses • Policy priorities and objectives: -No coherent and ranked set of objectives, the level of action and the method of coordination -to facilitate policing and intelligence sharing; an overwhelming majority of measures were not exclusively focused on terrorism and aimed at combating crime (European Arrest Warrant and the Evidence Warrant) • Governing models; community and intergovernmental methods; growth of horizontal networks • Accountability, legitimacy and performance problems Very little done on tackling the root causes of terrorism Erosion of democratic, legal and social norms

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