REPORT on the external dimension of the fight against international terrorism

1.12.2006 - (2006/2032(INI))

Committee on Foreign Affairs
Rapporteur: Luis Yañez-Barnuevo García

Procedure : 2006/2032(INI)
Document stages in plenary
Document selected :  
A6-0441/2006
Texts tabled :
A6-0441/2006
Texts adopted :

MOTION FOR A EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT RESOLUTION

on the external dimension of the fight against international terrorism

(2006/2032(INI))

The European Parliament,

–       having regard to the Treaty establishing a European Constitution,

–       having regard to Article 6 and 7 and Triple V of the EU Treaty,

–       having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 10 December 1948,

–       having regard to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms signed in Rome on 4 November 1950,

–       having regard to the European Convention on the Suppression of International Terrorism of the Council of Europe signed in Strasbourg on 27 January 1977,

–       having regard to the thirteen United Nations instruments currently in force and to the four instruments adopted in 2005 but not yet in force relating to the prevention and eradication of international terrorism, Security Council Resolutions 1368 and 1373 (2001) and 1267 (1999) as well as the General Assembly Resolution on the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and the annexed Plan of Action of 8 September 2006,

–        having regard to the 2005 UN World Summit Outcome conclusions on terrorism,

–        having regard to the Report 'Alliance of Civilisations' presented to the UN Secretary General on 13 November 2006,

–        having regard to the European Security Strategy - a secure Europe in a better world - adopted by the European Council on 12 December 2003, and the EU Strategy Against Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction of the same date,

–        having regard to the report 'A Human Security Doctrine - The Barcelona Report of the Study Group on Europe's Security Capabilities' as presented to the EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy on 15 September 2004,

–        having regard to the conclusions of the Brussels European Council of 25 and 26 March 2004, in particular the European Council Declaration of 25 March 2004 on combating terrorism, which included a solidarity clause,

–       having regard to the revised Action Plan/Roadmap adopted by the European Council at its meeting on 17 and 18 June 2004,

–       having regard to the European Union Counter-Terrorism Strategy adopted by the European Council at its meeting of 14 and 15 December 2005 and the European Union Strategy for Combating Radicalisation and Recruitment to Terrorism adopted by the European Council on the same date,

–       having regard to the conclusions of the International Summit on Democracy, Terrorism and Security held in Madrid from 8 to 11 March 2005,

–       having regard to the report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations of 27 April 2006 'Uniting Against Terrorism: Recommendations for a global counter-terrorism strategy' (A/60/825),

–      having regard to the 2005 report of the UN High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change and the report of the UN Secretary General for the 2005 reform summit: ‘In larger freedom: towards development; security and human rights for all’,

–      having regard to the Euro-Mediterranean Code of Conduct on Countering Terrorism, adopted at the Euro-Mediterranean Summit of 27 and 28 November 2005 in Barcelona,

–      having regard to the EU-USA declarations on the fight against terrorism and the strengthening of mutual cooperation with regard to non-proliferation and combating terrorism of 26 June 2004 and 20 June 2005, and noting with great concern the CIA's secret detention programme that President Bush confirmed on 6 September 2006,

–      having regard to the report of the United Nations High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on Threats, Challenges and Change, "A more secure world: our shared responsibility", of 2 December 20041,

–      having regard to the European Union-Russia Road Map for the Common Space of External Security signed on 10 May 2005 on the occasion of the XVth EU-Russia Summit,

–      having regard to the Joint EU-ASEAN Declaration on Terrorism signed on 27 January 2003 on the occasion of the XIVth EU-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting,

–      having regard to the Joint EU-OUA Declaration on Terrorism signed in 2001,

–       having regard to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court adopted on 17 June 1998 by the United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries,

–       having regard to the Commission's Communication on “The Prevention of and Fight against Terrorist Financing through enhanced national level coordination and greater transparency of the non-profit sector, including a Recommendation to the Member States” (MEMO/05/460, 1 December 2005),

–       having regard to its Recommendation of 7 June 2005 to the European Council and the Council on the EU anti-terrorism Action[1],

–      having regard to Rule 45 of its Rules of Procedure,

–      having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the opinions of the Committee on Development and the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (A6-0441/2006),

A.    whereas international terrorism (including its ideology) now constitutes one of the greatest threats to security, peace, stability and the democratic values of the international community and in particular a direct threat to European citizens, EU Member States, democracy and the rule of law, values on which the European Union is founded,

B.     having regard to the diverse nature of terrorism, of the organisations which practise it and of the States and non-state agents which sponsor it, finance it and practise it for their own ends; having regard also to the emerging and unpredictable nature of a phenomenon which presupposes an obvious sense of opportunity (particularly in the case of the terrorism practised by radical groups which claim to be defending Islam) and the need for the European Union to pursue a proactive (and not just a reactive) policy in order to combat it,

C.     whereas Europe, from being mainly a platform for logistical support, has turned into a major object of planned attacks,

D.    whereas, pursuant to the European Security Strategy, the fight against terrorism constitutes a priority for the European Union and a key element in its external action,

E.     whereas the pursuit of security beyond the EU's borders should be guided by the principles of the Human Security Doctrine as set out in the 2004 'Barcelona Report of the Study Group on Europe's Security Capabilities ', namely the primacy of human rights; the imperatives of multilateralism; a bottom-up approach based on knowledge of the local situation; a regional focus; and the establishment of a clear and legitimate political authority,

F.     whereas the European Union has its own strategy for combating terrorism which must be integrated in a multilateral strategy and be firmly based on the unconditional respect of human rights and of the principles underlying states governed by the rule of law, whereas terrorism constitutes precisely a direct attack on both, and whereas any action outside that framework constitutes a failure of democracy,

G.     whereas terrorism is always criminal and unjustifiable, in any circumstance, wherever and by whomsoever committed, and whereas it may never be used in the pursuit of political objectives,

H.     whereas the victims of terrorism are a moral reference point for our societies and for democracy and whereas the public authorities should listen to their voice and ensure that they are taken into account whenever decisions are taken with a view to combating those who made them unwilling protagonists,

I.      whereas terrorist groups exploit extreme poverty, the failure to uphold human rights and constitutional government, collective frustration, the lack of access to training and social exclusion in pursuit of their capture and infiltration strategies,

J.      whereas societies which suffer from high levels of political, social, economic, ethnic, religious and other discrimination and lack of democracy and human rights constitute an ideal breeding ground for terrorism,

K.      whereas in order for terrorism to be fought effectively, a detailed knowledge is required of the terrorist group which is being fought, of that group’s ideology and of the social, political, economic and religious context from which it emerges and on which its perpetrators and supporters feed,

L.     whereas specific action should be taken in order to combat each terrorist organisation, in view of the fact that each one has its own objectives, organisation and modus operandi, and whereas in particular specific action should be taken against the Al-Qaeda organisation,

M.   whereas the threat of terrorism is not restricted to specific geographic zones and whereas terrorist organisations are to be found both within and outside of our borders and have provided sufficient proof of their ability to carry out attacks and acts of violence in any continent and against various countries simultaneously,

N.    whereas the Member States individually and the European Union and its institutions have already been or may be direct targets of international terrorism,

O.    whereas the painful experiences to date show that no Member State can on its own successfully face terrorism and whereas it is therefore of fundamental importance that, on the one hand, there be a common Union policy to combat terrorism, making use of all the instruments and resources at the disposal of states governed by the rule of law and of the Union itself, and, on the other hand, effective and democratically controlled international cooperation in the fight against international terrorism,

P.      whereas essential requirements in an effective fight against terrorism are an enhancement of transatlantic cooperation and coordination and full implementation of the 2004 EU-USA Declaration on the fight against terrorism, of the 20 June 2005 joint EU-USA Declaration on the strengthening of mutual cooperation with regard to non-proliferation and combating terrorism, and of the full EU-USA Declaration issued at the 21 June 2006 Vienna Summit,

Q.      whereas the fight against international terrorism calls for a strong linkage between internal and external aspects of security and whereas the EU must aim for a holistic, coherent and cross-pillar approach to this challenge,

R.      aware that the global dimension of terrorism also requires a global response, tackling terrorism in all its dimensions, including the security, political, economic social and cultural aspects,

S.      whereas the European Union is founded on a set of values, as expressed, for instance, in the Copenhagen criteria, and these values should be promoted all over the world as the only way to prevent terrorism in the long term,

T.      aware that the external and internal dimensions of the fight against terrorism are interlinked and inseparable,

U.     whereas prevention, and hence the need for exhaustive consideration of intelligence reports, are basic elements in the fight against terrorism, as evidenced by some of the attacks which have recurred,

V.     whereas in order for the actions of the Union in the fight against terrorism to be effective, close cooperation and an enhanced exchange of information between the institutions of the Union, the Member States and their respective intelligence services, and the Union's specialised agencies (such as Europol and Eurojust) are vital,

W.    whereas the EU Anti-Terrorism Coordinator has an essential role to play and whereas he must be given more powers and resources,

X.     whereas the Union must develop a pro-active rather than just a reactive prevention, protection and repression policy to combat international terrorism effectively,

Y.     whereas, in order to be effective, the fight against international terrorism and its ideology must be backed by real conviction and determination within the Union and the Member States and have the backing of an aware and well-informed public,

Z.     whereas the Member States must not delay implementation of all commitments associated with the fight against terrorism, based on the counter-terrorism cooperation both within the Union and at the international level,

AA.  convinced that demonising any culture, civilisation or religion in the name of combating terrorism is a mistake which may have counter-productive effects,

AB.  whereas Muslims are among the victims of Islamist terrorism, which itself is linked to inherent conflicts within the Muslim World and to struggles for power and resources, including oil,

Fundamental principles of the external dimension of the fight against international terrorism

1.  Supports the need for a strategic objective of combating terrorism globally, respecting human rights, with the ultimate objective of achieving a more secure European Union, and allowing its citizens to enjoy a true area of freedom, security and justice; shares the view of the Council that, other forms of terrorism notwithstanding, the most serious threat to Europe at the moment is posed by violent radical groups claiming to defend Islam, such as the criminal Al Qaeda network and the groups which are affiliated to it or are inspired by its ideology;

2.  Emphasises the need for the European Union, its Member States and its partner countries to base their global counter-terrorism strategy on the fundamental principles which also serve to guide the actions of the United Nations, on a constructive and serious dialogue between peoples and nations, as well as between cultures, religions and civilisations, taking account of the respective perceptions and concerns, and on respect for international law;

3.  Expresses its regret at the failure of the UN World Summit in 2005 to reach an agreement on a comprehensive definition of terrorism, and stresses the need to arrive at a generally accepted definition of international terrorism; therefore calls on the Council to adopt a common position establishing a definition of terrorism on the basis of Council Framework Decision 2002/475/JHA of 13 June 2002[2] and taking into account the definition proposed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan;

4.   Stresses the urgent need to fully and properly implement all the political measures adopted at the highest political level in the European Union Counter-Terrorism Strategy, the Action Plan and the Strategy for Combating Radicalisation and Recruitment to Terrorism, so that the ambitious mechanisms and proposals set out in these documents result in specific and effective practical measures to combat terrorism as soon as possible;

5.    Welcomes the recent adoption by the General Assembly of the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and annexed Plan of Action; stresses the need for terrorism in all its forms and expressions to be combated by all available means, pursuant to the UN Charter as reflected in the Security Council’s Resolution 1624(2005); expresses concern at the delay in the adoption of the global convention on international terrorism; encourages the Institutions of the European Union and the various Member States to continue working unstintingly to achieve an international consensus permitting, on the one hand, the adoption of the global convention and, on the other, the effective implementation of the measures set out in said Strategy and Plan of Action;

6.    Regrets the fact that, despite evidence of the terrorist threat, some Member States have not yet signed and/or ratified some of the 16 United Nations universal instruments on combating terrorism; notes that as yet only two countries have ratified 13 conventions and 78 other countries have ratified or joined 12 of them; considers it particularly worrying, however, that 33 other countries have ratified or joined 6 or fewer such international conventions;

7.   Calls on those Member States of the European Union and their partners which have not already done so to adopt swiftly the national legislation necessary for the effective implementation of these conventions and to inform the relevant bodies of the United Nations thereof in good time;

8.   Recommends that the European Union in its external actions makes use of appropriate means in order to encourage countries to become parties to all universal instruments against terrorism and to enact, as appropriate, the domestic legislation necessary to implement the provisions of those conventions and protocols, also benefiting from the UN technical expertise;

9.      Emphasises that the European Union's external actions to combat international terrorism should in the first place be aimed at prevention, in order to ensure that radical or extremist groups, and also States; do not resort to terrorism and do not support it as a strategy in the pursuit of their objectives; urges the Member States to acquire greater institutional capacity for combating terrorism; considers that in broad terms the objectives relating to prevention set out in the European Union Counter-Terrorism Strategy are in keeping with this objective;

10.     Calls on the countries with which the EU has commenced accession negotiations or which have expressed their intention of joining the EU to take immediate measures to disband nationalistic and fanatical organisations which are directly opposed to the democratic principles of the Union and stir up animosities and racial hatred;

11.   Reiterates the need at all times to drive home the message that terrorism is unacceptable and unjustifiable by all state and non-state actors in all circumstances and in all cultures, whatever the considerations of a political, philosophical, ideological, racial, ethnic, religious or any other nature that may be invoked to justify it, and to eliminate all factors which may be exploited by terrorists such as the dehumanisation of victims, the outbreak and persistence of violent conflicts, bad governance, the lack of civil rights and violation of human rights, religious and ethnic discrimination, political exclusion and socio-economic marginalisation;

12.   Considers it also fundamental that the European Union's external actions to combat international terrorism, while complying with the relevant case law of the Court of Justice of the European Communities and the European Court of Human Rights, should aim to prevent terrorists from gaining access to the means for carrying out their attacks, for example by depriving them of the opportunity to travel, to gain access to means of communication and to proselytise, to use the Internet for their purposes, to receive financial support, to engage in money laundering, to gain access to arms, be they conventional, nuclear, biological, chemical or radiological, and to easily attain their objectives and achieve their aims;

13.   Considers that the protective measures included in the European Union Counter-Terrorism Strategy are in line with this objective but that their actual effectiveness varies greatly and that there are various other options in terms of the Union's external action;

14.   Reiterates the need to fight against flows of illicit capital and money laundering within the Union (through implementation of Directive 2005/60/EC by December 2007) and elsewhere and to exercise effective control over various Islamic charities;

15.    Notes that States have an obligation to exercise vigilance and recommends that determined use be made of the instruments to obstruct any violation of that international obligation at the disposal of the Union in its external actions in order to make countries which support terrorist groups and which organise, finance, encourage or support terrorist activities by any other means desist, if necessary through the imposition of sanctions or through coercive measures;

16.   Supports unreservedly the development of the capacity of States to prevent terrorism through the promotion of the rule of law, the respect of human rights and the establishment of effective criminal justice systems as well as through the promotion of high-quality education, religious and cultural tolerance; to that end, urges all the States within the international community to ensure that incitement to commit terrorist acts is banned by law and to prevent such conduct, as called for in the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (60/288), which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 20 September 2006;

17.    Considers that the development of a preventative capacity also requires States to directly oppose the financing of terrorist organisations by practical means, to seek to ensure that transport is safe (as stipulated in the European Programme for Critical Infrastructure Protection (EPCIP)), to make use of the possibilities offered by the Internet to combat terrorism, to improve the protection of potential terrorist targets and the capacity to respond to attacks as well as to improve their capacity to prevent terrorists from acquiring conventional weapons or nuclear, biologic, chemical or radiological materials;

18.   Emphasises the need to continue defending human rights and fundamental freedoms in the fight against terrorism by means of the international instruments available, taking account of the fact that human rights are a universal value and an integral part of European external action but also of the fact that their violation clearly jeopardises the fight against terrorism and constitutes a failure of democracy; considers, therefore, that the only effective instruments employed in the fight against international terrorism are legal means and that all activities that escape independent international scrutiny, such as extraordinary renditions or prisons that operate outside the international legal framework, should be prohibited under international law;

19.    Considers it fundamental to have sufficient human and budgetary resources available to combat terrorism; supports the various proposals of the Commission in this regard; proposes that, in the event of an ESPD operation to combat terrorism, the cost of the common expenditure be charged to the budget of the European Union; supports the creation of an international fund to provide economic assistance to States with fewer resources in order that they may successfully assume their responsibilities in the fight against terrorism;

20.   Draws attention to the fact the development of a common approach to the management of the European Union's external frontiers could constitute one element of the fight against terrorism, and consequently is concerned that the technical equipment at the disposal of the authorities responsible for controlling the borders is not of a uniformly high standard;

21.   Underlines the crucial role of civil society as well as of NGOS for the promotion of cross- cultural and inter-religious understanding through constructive dialogue;

22.   Considers that it is essential to develop intercultural dialogue and other confidence-building measures within and outside the EU with the first requirement being to reach a common understanding of the concept of 'intercultural dialogue' inside the EU; furthermore, considers that it is also essential to examine the contributory factors leading to the radicalisation and recruitment of Muslims inside and outside Europe;

Means available to the European Union in the area of its external action to combat terrorism

23.   Emphasises the multiple-faceted nature of the responses available to the European Union in the area of external action to combat terrorism and the need for Member States to bring together and use in a coherent manner their political, preventive and repressive, police and judicial cooperation, intelligence and communication instruments and all other types of responses called for and backed up by the United Nations and forming part of a multilateral strategy;

24.   Reiterates, therefore, its proposal to render the Union’s anti-terrorist policy more coherent and effective in its relations with third countries through:

(a)  the enhancement of political dialogue in this regard, in particular with those countries with which the European Union and/or its Member States have concluded or are negotiating Association or Cooperation Agreements,

(b)    political and commercial support and development aid to moderate Islamic countries, relating both to the fight against terrorism and to the social, political and economic reforms implemented in those countries;

(c)   a stepping up of the dialogue on and cooperation in the fight against terrorism with the major partners of the Union, (Israel, Japan, Australia, Canada, Russia etc.), and, in particular, the United States, which is in the front line in the fight against terrorism, without affecting the level of protection for human rights under any circumstances;

(d)   the promotion of international consensus for the adoption of the Global Convention on International Terrorism and the development of the Counter-Terrorism Strategy adopted by the General Assembly,

(e)    the requirement that all third countries with which the Union maintains relations sign and ratify the 16 United Nations universal instruments on combating terrorism, as well as the optional Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture or Other Cruel, Inhumane or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,

(f)    the strict implementation of the anti-terrorism clause as well as application of the human rights clause included in agreements with third countries, without any ‘ad hoc’ modifications which detract from their substance,

(g)    the suspension of political and trade relations with States which persistently fail to comply with their obligations towards the Counter-Terrorism Committee of the United Nations,

(h)    the establishment of an interinstitutional Code of Conduct for external relations of the Union proposed by the European Parliament already in 2002,

(i)     the strengthening of cooperation with international and regional organisations playing a key role in peace keeping and global security, first and foremost the United Nations (in particular the Security Council and its Counter-Terrorism Committee and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) the OSCE, the Council of Europe and NATO,

(j)    the promotion and strict implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540 (2004), with the aim of preventing non-state actors and States which are not party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty from acquiring nuclear, chemical or biological weapons, in pursuit of the EU strategy against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction to develop and support new initiatives on nuclear disarmament and the revitalisation of the UN Conference on Disarmament,

(k)   the stepping-up of cooperation as regards the exchange of information and cooperation between security and intelligence services including military intelligence, and police, judicial and customs authorities of the Member States, including with SitCen, Frontex, Europol, Interpol and Eurojust and the various competent authorities at European level, the Counter-Terrorism Coordinator Gijs De Vries and the Commissioner with responsibility for justice, freedom and security, Franco Frattini; the enhancing of security protocols and interoperability, by keeping the activities of intelligence and law-enforcement agencies strictly separate as stipulated in numerous national constitutions and on the condition that parliamentary and judicial scrutiny are provided,

(l)      the organisation of regular meetings (held at least once a year) to be attended by the relevant ministers from the Member States, by the Commissioner responsible for justice, freedom and security, by the EU Anti-Terrorism Coordinator and by the heads of Europol, Eurojust, SitCen and Frontex, and to be devoted solely to the topic of combating international terrorism;

(m)    the promotion of a global consensus about the need to put an end to off-shore banking and other forms of opaque fiscal paradises used by terrorists to conceal financial transactions;

(n)    the implementation of the Firearms Protocol and the UN Small Arms and Light Weapons Action Programme;

(o)   the reinforcement of counter-terrorist military unit through training and other measures;

(p)   an increase in Europol’s powers in order to ensure that the role it plays in the fight against terrorism is an effective one;

(q)    the enhancement of cooperation with the United States as regards exchange of information and cooperation between security and intelligence services as well as police, judicial and customs authorities;

(r)     the enhancement of cooperation of Member States' special forces with those of third party states;

25.    Commends the various initiatives to promote dialogue, tolerance and understanding among different cultures, civilisations and religions; considers the idea of creating a "Euro- Med citizenship" as an example of a broad and concrete initiative that can help bring forward views of the region's common future;

26.   Emphasises the need for greater cooperation and coordination with the United States in the fight against international terrorism, while stressing the need for fundamental human rights principles to be protected;

27.   Emphasises the need for an increase in the powers and the resources available to the EU Anti-Terrorism Coordinator (with particular reference to the inadequate resources made available to him), so that his work can assume a higher profile and have greater impact;

28.   Calls on the Commission and the Council, in order to make the International Criminal Court (ICC) more acceptable and realistic, to include acts of terrorism within its jurisdiction, as these constitute crimes against humanity;

29.   Calls on the Council, Commission and the governments of the Member States to take effective practical action in following up the proscription of terrorist organisations;

30.   Considers it essential to encourage greater stability outside the Union through the use of all available instruments, programmes and means in the ambit of external action, including:

(a)   the new Stability Instrument, which should provide a new legal basis for long-term aid in the area of the fight against terrorism, the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the fight against organised crime, conventional disarmament and human security; recalls the declaration by the Commission on anti-terror measures, annexed to the Instrument for Stability, in which the Commission undertakes that all anti-terrorism measures financed under that instrument will respect human rights obligations and related humanitarian law and that the Commission will monitor compliance by the recipient countries;

(b)   the support, once said Instrument enters into force, of the aid strategy designed by the Commission to help third countries face the terrorist threat through both the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENPI) programmes, the Instrument for Stability and the mainstreaming of counter-terrorist assistance into all its assistance programmes as requested by the European Council;

(c)    the extension of said strategy to all areas of the Union’s external action and to all the major development aid programmes except for those on humanitarian aid, which by their very nature are unconditional;

(d)    the strengthening of the use Civilian and Military Rapid Reaction Mechanism;

(e)    the Council and the Commission ensuring that attention for the victims of terrorism becomes a cornerstone of the Union's policy in this field, thus ensuring full regard for them so that they are listened to, kept informed and given every assistance;

(f)     the creation of a similar office in the context of the new United Nations Counter-Terrorism Strategy aimed at providing assistance to all victims of terrorism regardless of their citizenship;

31.     Calls on the Commission to present a communication as soon as possible setting out the existing assistance programmes and mechanisms to reduce and face up to the threats to the security of the Union and its citizens including in particular proposals and recommendations to improve the effectiveness and coherence of the Union’s assistance programmes;

32.   Calls on Member States to contribute more to an integrated EU-wide threat assessment by increasing the flow of information to the Situation Centre of the EU Council Secretariat; calls on Member States to increase staff and resources at the disposal of the Situation Centre and to make increasing use of its unique combined terrorism assessments, which include information on external threats and information from internal security services and EUROPOL;

33.   Recommends adopting measures leading to setting-up of a new formation of the Council gathering ministers of foreign affairs and ministers of interior when dealing with the fight against terrorism;

34.   Recommends implementation of the EU Treaty provisions concerning the ESDP applied to the fight against terrorism and also of the Declaration on the fight against terrorism which was adopted by the European Council on 25 March 2004, the Action Plan adopted by the European Council on 21 September 2001 and the Counter-Terrorism Strategy which was adopted by the European Council at its meeting of 14 and 15 December 2005, through the adoption of measures such as:

(a)    the joint elaboration of contingency plans to render effective the mutual-assistance solidarity clause which was adopted by the European Council on 25 March 2004,

(b)    making use, where necessary, of specific military or police operations under the ESDP as part of the Union’s response to terrorism,

(c)    the adaptation to the new tasks of the permanent structured cooperation and the combat units provided under Protocol 23,

(d)    the abrogation of the unanimity rule concerning some areas of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters;

Parliamentary control of the fight against international terrorism by the Institutions of the Union

35.   Highlights the vital importance of prevention in the fight against international terrorism and the need to share in real time with the other Member States and Institutions of the Union all information obtained through reliable and efficient information systems and for a rigorous and professional assessment of the reports drawn up by the various police and intelligence services;

36.   Asks the Council for the Interinstitutional Agreement of 20 November 2002 between the European Parliament and the Council on sensitive information of the Council in the area of security and defence policy[3] to be reviewed and brought up-to-date in order to improve the current classified information transmission system and to guarantee the transmission to the European Parliament of all available information relating to the fight against international terrorism, ensuring that under no circumstances it be denied information, which, in the internal sphere, has been or should be transmitted to national parliaments by the respective governments of the Member States or the international organisations of which they form part;

37.   Calls on the Council not to limit itself in its annual report on the CFSP to describing the activities of the Union in the area of the fight against terrorism, but rather, on the basis of Article 21 of the Treaty on European Union, to really consult the European Parliament as regards the principal aspects and basic options of this fight, which constitutes a priority under the European Security Strategy, the Union’s external action and the CFSP as a whole; considers it indispensable that it be informed and consulted in the event of a large-scale terrorist attack, where necessary through the Special Committee provided for in the abovementioned Interinstitutional Agreement of 20 November 2002;

38.   Considers the High Level Political Dialogue on Counter-Terrorism,which brings the European Parliament, Commission and Council together on a six-monthly basis,to be a good example of the possibilities available for the indispensable interinstitutional cooperation in the fight against terrorism; proposes that such meetings be held at least on a quarterly basis and that the European Parliament Delegation also include the chairmen of the permanent committees on the three main areas of external action (foreign affairs, international trade and development cooperation);

39.   Asks for the reports drawn up by the Situation Centre (SitCen) for the Council of the Union to be transmitted regularly to the European Parliament, if necessary pursuant to the modalities provided for in the abovementioned Interinstitutional Agreement;

40.    Considers it of fundamental importance that the European Parliament be closely involved in the mechanism to implement the solidarity clause (the introduction of which was approved by the European Council on 25 March 2004), essentially in cases where the decisions adopted have implications as regards the ESDP;

41.   Calls on the Commission and on the European Counter-Terrorism Coordinator to submit an annual report to the European Parliament on their activities in the fight against terrorism and to take due account of Parliament’s observations and recommendations in this regard;

42.   Calls on the Council anew to inform Parliament on the regular updating of Council Common Position 2001/931/CFSP of 27 December 2001 on the application of specific measures to combat terrorism[4] (list of terrorist organisations and groups) and on developments since 2001;

43.   Pledges to establish an enhanced dialogue with the national parliaments on the fight against terrorism with a view to guaranteeing joint parliamentary control of the activities of the various security and intelligence services, given that, in its capacity as representative of the peoples of the European Union, it is incumbent upon the European Parliament to exercise public and transparent control of the measures adopted by the Union in relation to the fight against terrorism, including the activities of the European Counter-Terrorism Coordinator and of the various bodies dedicated to this task;

44.   Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the European Council, the Council, the Commission, the Governments and Parliaments of the Member States, the Council of Europe, the United Nations Organisation and its specialised agencies.

  • [1]  OJ C 124, 25.5.2006, p. 241.
  • [2]  OJ L 164, 22.6.2002, p. 3.
  • [3]  OJ C 298, 30.11.2002, p. 1.
  • [4]  OJ L 344, 28.12.2001, p. 93.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The fight against terrorism will be won in the field of values, or not at all.

International terrorism is today the most dangerous challenge to universal public values, the greatest threat to the peace and security of open societies, and the gravest menace to freedom, security and human dignity.

However, unlike in the decades prior to the fall of the iron curtain, we no longer face a known and recognisable enemy with a precise geographical location, against whom clear rules and defences can be established and with whom channels of communication can be kept open. Now, the enemy is invisible, frequently indeterminate and diffuse in nature, not clearly from any particular State, although some may fall under suspicion, omnipresent, whether beyond or within our frontiers, yet having conventional weapons and irregular funding, possessing or able to obtain weapons of mass destruction and capable of creating total panic and paralysis.

This is a further reason why the counter-terrorist strategy must be global, multilateral and based on the United Nations system. Any unilateral response, falling outside international law, is condemned to failure, however powerful the country responsible. Under the counter-terrorism strategy, it is particularly important for the EU's common foreign and security policy (CFSP) to comply with the principle of effective multilateralism and respect for the UN.

The international community has failed to agree on a definition of terrorism accepted by all, yet there is agreement that a distinction should be drawn between resistance to occupation, or an armed struggle for freedom from tyranny, and terrorism as such. There is no justification for terrorism. Nor is there any need to discuss whether States may or may not be guilty of terrorism, since the deliberate use by States of armed forces against the civilian population is already clearly prohibited under international law. In any event, terrorism is always unacceptable and no cause can be invoked that would justify it.

It is precisely because terrorism attacks and seeks to destroy the very foundations and basic values of the international community upheld by the United Nations that we must always respect human rights and the principles of the rule of law when we seek to combat it. It is not only because they are inviolable principles and hard-won historic achievements, but also because they are precisely what the terrorists want to destroy. If we lower our guard and sacrifice these values or allow exceptions to them, we will be handing victory to the terrorists and placing ourselves on the same level as them.

Respect for fundamental rights and freedoms is not merely a parameter of this struggle but its raison d'etre. Whenever these values have been breached in the name of the fight against terrorism, the thinking and philosophy underlying that struggle have been undermined and have lost their force and moral authority, emboldening the allies and sympathisers of terrorists, making it easier for them to recruit to their cause.

Restricting basic rights does not produce a greater sense of security among the public, but rather one of fear. And fear paralyses the will to act, intimidates and unmans. We need free societies, sure of themselves, with full rights and determined to defeat terrorism by means of the law. Fear destroys the foundations of this society. A fearful society has lost the battle beforehand.

As the writer Juan Goytisolo rightly said, 'the reason of force must be combated by the force of reason'. Terrorism must be fought with intelligence, tenacity and perseverance, through a suitable combination of preventive and repressive measures. First and foremost it is vital to strengthen the information and intelligence services of all EU countries, and for them to cooperate and coordinate their efforts more closely among themselves and with their counterparts in third countries, especially the United States. The experience of 11 September and 11 March has shown that we need to examine more closely and know how to interpret properly reports on 'dormant' terrorist groups and cells, in order to prevent attacks. The EU must be aware that these services need to be given the material and human resources to develop their specialist skills and professionalism, and this is an issue addressed in this report, which puts forward relevant measures.

Yet both preventive measures and police and judicial measures to combat terrorism need to enjoy active public support. Raising the awareness of and mobilising the population have proved to be crucial in defeating some terrorist movements, first morally, by undermining their prestige, and then politically, leading to their break up. This awareness is greater in those European countries which have suffered the scourge of terrorism, but it took many years for this to happen. This mentality needs to spread to countries which have not been direct victims of terrorism, to convince them that the threat is global and the danger concerns us all. As part of its external action, the European Union must also seek to raise awareness in third countries with regard to the fight against terrorism, not just their leaders, but also their people. In many cases, political, intellectual and media circles in moderate Muslim countries are failing in the task of educating public opinion and changing attitudes. We must help them in this endeavour.

We are not up against a religion or a belief, but with people who are fanatical, extremist and dogmatic. We respect all religions and philosophies, but we are defending the independence of individuals, society and the state vis-à-vis any religion.

When we speak of international terrorism, we are thinking in particular of the activities of terrorists who consider themselves to be Muslims and claim to act on behalf of God and in defence of Islam. Yet it would be a very grave mistake to imagine that Muslims as a whole, or in significant numbers, embrace this fanaticism or wish to become terrorists. Islam is a respectable and respected religion with 300 000 million adherents worldwide, who live work and pray in peace. In the West, moreover, there is a tendency to think that the worst terrorist attacks have occurred in the United States or Europe , yet most of the major attacks and most of the mortal victims of international terrorism have been in Muslim countries or have affected Muslim citizens. Hence the need to prevent and combat any outbreaks of islamophobia. Expressions such as the 'axis of evil', Manichean concepts of 'good and evil' or the conviction that 'God is with us' only serve to encourage extremists of every kind and result in the failure of the fight against terrorism.

Here lies the significance of the Alliance of Civilisations launched by the prime ministers of Spain and Turkey, which has been endorsed by the United Nations and its Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, and is now supported by numerous other countries worldwide. Others prefer to speak of an alliance of values or cultures, but the meaning is the same - to oppose the so-called 'clash of civilisations' and uphold dialogue, co-existence, understanding and tolerance among different peoples and creeds. To encourage encounters, exchanges and meetings at all levels so as to isolate the advocates of violence and ensure that ground is not ceded to their arguments.

Terrorism and the preparations for terrorism must be met with firm resistance and its perpetrators must be punished under the law. At the same time, we must act against the breeding ground for terrorism and what are wrongly described as its 'causes'. Rightly or wrongly, some Muslims feel humiliated by what they see as the dominance of the West. Endemic conflicts, such as that between Palestinians and Israelis, are a thorn in the side of the international community and, more especially, of the Islamic world, as are the ongoing violence in Iraq since the invasion or the conflict in Chechnya. Millions of young Muslims, including those within the countries of the European Union, feel excluded and marginalised, yet surrounded by wealth near at hand, and live with no hope for the future, making them easy targets for the 'liberating and transcendent' doctrine of jihadism, which offers them a happy and eternal life in the hereafter (although the work 'jihad' has various meanings in Islam and does not necessarily imply war or holy war, or violence). The European Union must devote more concern and resources to forging a policy that will offer a place and a future to these young people.

There are some who believe that an approach based on dialogue and caution is tantamount to cowardice and is a prelude to surrender. On the contrary, it is indicative of firmness, straightforwardness and moral courage. Facts are stubborn and show that, whenever war-like language is used ('total war on terror'), the result is to inflame the Muslim masses, triggering attacks on Western embassies and violence against European citizens of a highly virulent nature.

It is this very awareness that we are treading on a volcano with unpredictable consequences that should prompt us to be sensible and cautious in how we think and speak. Needless to say, such reactions are always disproportionate and irrational, yet they are a further reason to insist on the need for caution. The arrest and trial of individuals or terrorist cells in cases where evidence of guilt is available do not prompt virulent reactions in the Muslim world, in the way that happens when there is a perception that Islam is being demonised or disparaged in politicians' speeches or media reports.

We unreservedly support freedom of expression as the cornerstone of free and open societies and we oppose any repressive measures against communications media by the public authorities. We do not advocate self-censorship, but believe that freedom of expression must be exercised responsibly and sensibly by those who enjoy it every day.

Last but not least, on the question of the victims of terrorism, a matter dealt with in the operative part of this report, experience has shown that, as well as being an act of justice and reparation, consideration for the victims and their families and the organisation of victims' associations and foundations whose voice can be heard in all fora are a highly important aspect of counter-terrorism strategy and the EU institutions have a duty to provide assistance and support.

MINORITY OPINION

GUE/NGL Group

Adamos Adamou, André Brie, Jaromír Kohlíček

Tobias Pflüger, Kyriacos Triantaphyllides

•       points out that the European Union has no strategy for combating terrorism that differs from the war on terror; reaffirms that it "should be firmly based on the unconditional respect of human rights and of the principles underlying states governed by the rule of law";

•       points out that the European Union is lacking a clear definition of terrorism; state terrorism is not included neither the differentiation between terrorists and political movements;

•       notes that the report does not address the root causes of terrorism which are mainly economic and social ones;

•       notes that the current strategy to fight terrorism has worsened the international security situation; Iraq and Afghanistan are two examples;

•       notices with regret that in the course of the current fight against terrorism - in particular "the war on terror" - war has been rehabilitated as a means of international politics which threatens our civilisation and democratic achievements;

•       criticises that the current strategy to fight terrorism is accelerating the militarization of internal and external affairs of the EU in the expense of human rights;

•       demands an end of the "war on terror" and the establishment of the full respect of human rights.

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON DEVELOPMENT (7.11.2006)

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs

on the external dimension of the fight against international terrorism
(2006/2032(INI))

Draftsman: Alain Hutchinson

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Development calls on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

Definition of terrorism

1.      Calls on the EU Council to officially endorse in a common action as quickly as possible the definition of terrorism proposed by the UN High Panel of Experts on 'Threats, Challenges and Change' and endorsed by Kofi Annan, stipulating that "any action constitutes terrorism if it is intended to cause death or serious bodily harm to civilians or non-combatants with the purpose of intimidating a population or compelling a Government or an international organization to do or abstain from doing any act";

2.      Recalls that this proposed UN definition of terrorism assumes that "state terrorism" is sufficiently regulated under international law, that the right to resist occupation cannot include the right to deliberately kill or maim civilians and that the definition would be in addition to actions already proscribed by existing conventions, ensuring in particular that the concept is clearly distinguished from that of war or conflict and cannot be interpreted in such a way as to lead to restriction of the scope of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the principles of freedom, democracy, equality and solidarity as enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union;

3.      Given the failure of the 2005 UN Millennium Summit on the UN reform to adopt the proposed definition of terrorism and an absolute presumption that international cooperation must be used to fight terrorism, considers that the latest declaration by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC) on combating terrorism, which was largely drawn up in camera, with little or no consultation with non-governmental bodies working in the development field, is liable to undermine the effective approaches recommended in its previous background paper[1];

4.      Calls on the EU to base its action in connection with the fight against terrorism on detailed, transparent and regularly updated analyses of the threat actually posed to citizens of the northern and southern hemispheres, in order in particular to enable citizens to be on their guard against any form of manipulation of information, and to develop and implement proportionate responses to the threat identified;

Respect for human rights

5.     Calls on the Commission and Council to include a human rights and democracy clause in all agreements with third countries and to apply it consistently, and not let the existence of an occasional "fight against terrorism clause" affect the application of this human rights clause and result in increased tolerance of human rights violations in the name of the fight against terrorism, as has already been the case in relations with several developing countries;

6.     Considers that an anti‑terrorism strategy which respects human rights can only be successfully pursued if respect for those rights is permanently monitored, the direct and indirect consequences of all measures and instruments adopted in the fight against terrorism are systematically examined and the right of victims adversely affected by anti-terrorism measures to seek remedies and compensation is safeguarded;

7.    Recalls the declaration of the Commission on anti-terror measures annexed to the Stability Instrument, in which the Commission gave assurances that all anti-terror measures financed under that instrument would respect human rights obligations and comply with related humanitarian law and that it would monitor compliance on the part of the recipient countries;

8.    Calls on the Member States and the Commission to ensure that strategies aimed at promoting good governance and preventing conflicts are coherent, coordinated, based on a multilateral approach and compatible with standards laid down in the area of human rights;

9.     Calls on the EU not to promote the increasingly frequent tendency to confuse terrorism with conflict, which is already permitting certain countries in the southern hemisphere to facilitate the adoption and implementation of laws that are manifestly contrary to respect for human rights and to the objectives laid down in the European Consensus on Development[2];

10.   Stresses that in many countries which have adopted tough security laws, defenders of civil liberties point out that the state already has sufficient powers in the area of law and order enforcement to effectively combat terrorism on the basis of existing international conventions and instruments, and calls on the EU to ensure that its development cooperation policy is not used as an instrument in the pursuit of objectives which it does not share, such as the strengthening of the military and police machinery or support for the suppression of internal conflicts;

11.    Calls on the EU to adopt in all international bodies the position that exchanges of intelligence must be conditional upon there being operational, independent data protection authorities and upon recognition of individual rights rather then the rights of the monitors;

Effectiveness of aid

12.   Draws attention to the recommendations contained in its report on the effectiveness of European development cooperation, and stresses in particular that if, with a view to implementing development cooperation, a large number of objectives are pursued that are only indirectly linked, or not linked at all, to the strategy laid down in the European Consensus on Development and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) (for which the UN believes additional annual aid of USD 50 billion is needed), it will become significantly more difficult to take effective action against poverty;

13.    Calls on the Commission and the Member States to pursue an anti‑terrorism policy that is careful not to undermine the contribution made by European development cooperation to drawing up and implementing strategies aimed at effectively combating poverty and at preventing, increasingly prolonged, violent conflicts, particularly in Africa;

14.   Stresses that the response adopted by the EU in the face of terrorism must be proportionate and properly targeted at the fight against terrorism, bearing in mind that, until proved otherwise, the most effective measures in the fight against new forms of terrorism must be considered to be effective intelligence and police services, in other words activities which, however legitimate, do not come within development cooperation policy or the fight against poverty;

Financing the fight against terrorism

15.     Regrets the fact that a large number of measures adopted by the Member States which do not come directly within a policy for reducing poverty in countries in the southern hemisphere are currently already being included in Official Development Assistance (ODA), such as the financing of certain loans or military investments;

16.    Considers that including within ODA financial support for a range of activities connected with preventing and fighting terrorism can only further undermine the concept of public development aid and its primary aim, namely to eliminate poverty;

17.   Insists that any EU program to develop cooperation on counter-terrorism, surveillance technology and exchanges of information should include a financial clause reserving part of the budget for fundamental rights issues as well as for posterior independent impact assessment;

18.  Strongly stresses to the Member States that nothing can justify diverting aid from countries that are devoting themselves to reducing poverty and achieving the MDGs towards countries directly involved in the war on terror;

19.   Stresses that the additional financial resources released as a result of the implementation of innovative financial instruments must not replace ODA commitments already entered into, and considers that, when those new resources become available, they should not be used to finance measures to prevent or fight terrorism at the expense of measures for fighting poverty into which it is essential that they are channelled;

Relations with diasporas

20.    Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that certain groups of people from various diasporas living in Europe are not stigmatised, in particular by supporting policies to combat xenophobia and human rights violations against immigrant and refugee communities, as well as development aid projects undertaken by migrants or migrants' associations;

Media

21.    Calls on the EU to ensure that measures taken with a view to fighting terrorism do not lead to curbs on the ability of the media in countries in the southern hemisphere to deal in an independent way with issues relating to the rights of poor, vulnerable people and to publish information that is essential when it comes to determining the specific aid to be provided to those countries.

PROCEDURE

Title

The external dimension of the fight against international terrorism

References

2006/2032(INI)

Committee responsible

AFET

Opinion by
  Date announced in plenary

DEVE
16.3.2006

Enhanced cooperation – date announced in plenary

 

Drafts(wo)man
  Date appointed

Alain Hutchinson
21.2.2006

Previous drafts(wo)man

 

Discussed in committee

28.8.2006

2.10.2006

 

 

 

Date adopted

6.11.2006

Result of final vote

+:

–:

0:

13
1

Members present for the final vote

Margrietus van den Berg, Danutė Budreikaitė, Marie-Arlette Carlotti, Hélène Goudin, Maria Martens, Luisa Morgantini, Horst Posdorf, Feleknas Uca, Anna Záborská

Substitute(s) present for the final vote

John Bowis, Fiona Hall, Alain Hutchinson, Jan Jerzy Kułakowski, Manolis Mavrommatis

Substitute(s) under Rule 178(2)
present for the final vote

 

Comments
(available in one language only)

...

22.11.2006

  • [1]  The DAC Guidelines, Helping Prevent violent Conflict, OECD 2001.
  • [2]  Joint statement by the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission on European Union Development Policy: "The European Consensus" (OJ C, 24.2.2006, p. 1).

OPINION OF THE COMMITTEE ON CIVIL LIBERTIES, JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS ()

for the Committee on Foreign Affairs

on the external dimension of the fight against international terrorism
(2006/2032(INI))

Draftsman: Agustín Díaz de Mera García Consuegra

SUGGESTIONS

The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs calls on the Committee on Foreign Affairs, as the committee responsible, to incorporate the following suggestions in its motion for a resolution:

A.    recalls that the promotion of democracy, freedom, human rights, justice and security is a key part of the European Union's external policy; to confirm that the fight against terrorism must be based on full respect for fundamental rights and rule of law principles, which is a key element in combating terrorism,

B.     to continue to make the fight against terrorism a Union priority and a key part of its external policy, and to consider it a major threat to European citizens and to democracy and the rule of law,

C.    considers that wherever thought has been given to using extra-judicial means alien to the European Union's legal culture in the fight against terrorism, terrorism has been bolstered and made more attractive,

D.    takes the view that the extra-judicial activities (extraordinary renditions) that have taken place on EU territory or have involved European citizens or people lawfully resident should be considered unacceptable and alien to the European Union's legal culture and to have served to undermine the rule of law,

E.     to incorporate this domestic and external priority into all levels of relations with third countries and to tackle this threat using a proactive and preventative approach, by deepening operational cooperation between judicial and police authorities, clamping down on money laundering and the financing of terrorism, eradicating poverty and its consequences, as well as recruitment and proselytism, and promoting fundamental rights and the rule of law,

F.     to insist that international cooperation and support are absolutely essential in fighting terrorism, so as to remove its ideological, financial, operational and logistical structures; to stress that international cooperation is generally born of the acceptance of a shared threat and that as long as some countries consider that terrorism does not affect them, international cooperation will not bear fruit,

G.     to ensure that counter-terrorism measures are subject to full parliamentary scrutiny and judicial review,

H.     to step up in-depth political dialogue with third countries (in order to promote the adoption of specific measures) and to systematically propose EU aid in this area from a global perspective so that they can better deal with this phenomenon in all its dimensions, both in terms of prevention and 'consequence management', ensuring them effective support through emergency plans based on practical, swift and useful assistance in the event of attacks,

I.      to pay heed to victims of terrorism in drawing up strategies designed to prevent and tackle the problem; to grant them protection and recognition while remembering that terrorists begin to lose once their victims speak out and society listens to them,

J.      to consider the possibility of creating High Commissioners for the victims of terrorism who (in accordance with the Madrid Agenda conclusions) would uphold victims' rights and also help to ensure that justice is done, that proper legal protection is provided and that full compensation is paid,

K.     to point out that so far Muslims are the largest group of victims of Islamist terrorism,

L.     to link EU cooperation with third-country governments where necessary to the carrying-out of structural and institutional reforms that will calm and improve the political, economic and social situation and allow for a pluralist society, with a view to discrediting all use of violence,

M.    to investigate fully the educational aspect of the fight against terrorism – in terms of intercultural education, respect for the values of others, mutual understanding and interreligious dialogue –, in particular when it is based, as is often the case, on false interpretation, disinformation and the misuse of historical and religious texts, and to attach particular importance, in the various forms of EU cooperation, to the Union's ability to develop a basic education system, thereby withdrawing financial assistance from any organisations liable to spread or justify messages of hate, intolerance or violence,

N.    considers that the issue of combating terrorism must not be inappropriately linked with religious otherness,

O.    to strongly deplore the fact that there is practically no legal remedy if someone is placed on the UN sanction list on terrorist financing (pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1267/1999),

P.     to propose to the Member States and to the Council that a detailed study be carried out of the possible influence which in certain cases may stem from the provision by third countries of public or private funding for educational and indoctrination activities in certain mosques located within the EU and that the possible detrimental effect which this may have on coexistence, on the preservation of people's dignity and on the protection of their basic rights be assessed,

Q.    to encourage the Member States to propose measures which - on the basis of absolute respect for religious freedom and for the separation between the State and religious confessions - will encourage the best possible relationship between religious teaching and the basic values of coexistence and respect for other cultures,

R.     to ensure the consistency of the Community's antiterrorist policy through the 'European Security Strategy' set out by the Council and regular monitoring of measures taken in this field by third countries as part of cooperation with the EU, and to identify systematically the specific nature of the threats facing the Union's partners,

S.     to streamline, coordinate and facilitate action under the different instruments at the EU's disposal (Europol, Eurojust, Frontex, CEPOL and SitCen) set up to detect and cut off links between terrorism and other forms of organised crime,

T.      to ask Member States to pay special attention to the promotion of intercultural relations and to the strengthening of interreligious dialogue among all members of society, in order to improve coexistence, tolerance and understanding,

U.     to agree on the need to develop an internal European policy, especially with regard to the fight against terrorism, so that an external policy on the same subject can take form,

V.      to continue to call for the signing and ratification by all Member States of the existing international conventions and recommendations regarding the fight against terrorism, and to demand that all third countries with which the European Union cooperates do the same,

W.    to concentrate efforts on preventing radicalisation by removing the root causes of terrorism and focusing on education, citizenship, social inclusion and participation,

X.    to stress that the worldwide promotion of democracy, the rule of law and human rights is the best defence against terrorism; to point out that the credibility of the message will be seriously undermined if these principles are not strictly adhered to.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

The fight against the terrorist threat, which is understood as a direct attack on people's lives, human rights and the pluralist nature of democratic societies, is a political priority for the European Union, the external aspect of which has become increasingly marked over the last few years. The European Security Strategy and the (revised) Action Plan on Terrorism take full account of the fact that this threat is not limited to set geographical areas but is based on international and cross border networks that require a comprehensive response that makes use of all instruments, in particular external action instruments, available to the Union.

Given the complexity of this threat, and the additional guise it has taken in the last few years with the rise of extremist Islamic fundamentalism, the Union has a duty to apply policy that fully respects the human rights and fundamental freedoms that form the core of our shared values while doing everything necessary to guarantee European citizens the 'high level of safety' to which Article 29 of the TEU entitles them.

This duty requires the development of a proactive and preventative policy that incorporates this priority in all forms of cooperation, in particular cooperation in police and judicial matters and regarding information, that the Union enjoys with third countries. There is also a need to strengthen in-depth political dialogue with 'victim third countries' and the countries of origin of terrorists, which will allow a more effective joint approach to the problem, in order both to prevent attacks and to ensure good 'consequence management'.

There must be greater control over the structures – particularly educational, recruitment and financial structures – that make it possible to produce and spread messages of hate and intolerance, and that encourage and make viable the growth of terrorist violence. It would, therefore, be a good idea to make European Union assistance in its cooperation with third countries dependent on the carrying-out of structural and institutional reforms, with the ultimate goal of completely discrediting terrorism or the use of any form of violence or violation of human rights.

Finally, those Member States, and third countries, that have not already done so should sign and ratify the international conventions and recommendations on the fight against terrorism. Strengthening the shared legal framework is the best way to ensure that the fundamental freedoms enshrined in international law are observed.

PROCEDURE

Title

External dimension of the fight against international terrorism

Procedure number

2006/2032(INI)

Committee responsible

AFET

Opinion by

        Date announced in plenary

LIBE
16.2.2006

Enhanced cooperation – date announced in plenary

 

Drafts(wo)man

        Date appointed

Agustín Díaz de Mera García Consuegra

13.3.2006

Previous drafts(wo)man

 

Discussed in committee

6.11.2006

22.11.2006

 

 

 

Date adopted

22.11.2006

Result of final vote

+:

–:

0:

37

2

1

Members present for the final vote

Alexander Alvaro, Roberta Angelilli, Edit Bauer, Johannes Blokland, Mihael Brejc, Giusto Catania, Carlos Coelho, Fausto Correia, Panayiotis Demetriou, Agustín Díaz de Mera García Consuegra, Kinga Gál, Elly de Groen-Kouwenhoven, Lilli Gruber, Lívia Járóka, Timothy Kirkhope, Ewa Klamt, Magda Kósáné Kovács, Barbara Kudrycka, Romano Maria La Russa, Claude Moraes, Inger Segelström, Ioannis Varvitsiotis, Donato Tommaso Veraldi, Manfred Weber, Tatjana Ždanoka

Substitute(s) present for the final vote

Bárbara Dührkop Dührkop, Ignasi Guardans Cambó, Sophia in 't Veld, Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann, Vincent Peillon, Marie-Line Reynaud

Substitute(s) under Rule 178(2) present for the final vote

Pilar Ayuso, Iratxe García Pérez, Esther Herranz García, Mary Honeyball, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Ana Mato Adrover, Manolis Mavrommatis, María Isabel Salinas García, Alejo Vidal-Quadras

Comments (available in one language only)

 

PROCEDURE

Title

The external dimension of the fight against international terrorism

Procedure number

2006/2032(INI)

Committee responsible
  Date authorisation announced in plenary

AFET
16.2.2006

Committee(s) asked for opinion(s)
  Date announced in plenary

LIBE

16.2.2006

DEVE

16.3.2006

 

 

 

Not delivering opinion(s)
  Date of decision

 

 

 

 

 

Enhanced cooperation
  Date announced in plenary


 

 

 

 

Rapporteur(s)
  Date appointed

Luis Yañez-Barnuevo García
16.3.2006

 

Previous rapporteur(s)

 

 

Discussed in committee

3.10.2006

21.11.2006

 

 

 

Date adopted

23.11.2006

Result of final vote

+

-

0

43

4

3

Members present for the final vote

Panagiotis Beglitis, Bastiaan Belder, Elmar Brok, Philip Claeys, Véronique De Keyser, Giorgos Dimitrakopoulos, Alfred Gomolka, Klaus Hänsch, Richard Howitt, Anna Ibrisagic, Helmut Kuhne, Vytautas Landsbergis, Francisco José Millán Mon, Pierre Moscovici, Tobias Pflüger, Mirosław Mariusz Piotrowski, Paweł Bartłomiej Piskorski, Bernd Posselt, Raül Romeva i Rueda, Jacek Emil Saryusz-Wolski, Gitte Seeberg, Marek Siwiec, István Szent-Iványi, Antonio Tajani, Charles Tannock, Paavo Väyrynen, Jan Marinus Wiersma, Luis Yañez-Barnuevo García, Josef Zieleniec

Substitute(s) present for the final vote

Laima Liucija Andrikienė, Francisco Assis, Alexandra Dobolyi, Árpád Duka-Zólyomi, Carlo Fatuzzo, Kinga Gál, Gerardo Galeote, Milan Horáček, Jaromír Kohlíček, Alexander Lambsdorff, Jaime Mayor Oreja, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo, Doris Pack

Substitute(s) under Rule 178(2) present for the final vote

Pilar Ayuso, Mihael Brejc, Pilar del Castillo Vera, Iratxe García Pérez, Esther Herranz García, Antonio López-Istúriz White, Marios Matsakis, Rosa Miguélez Ramos

Date tabled

1.12.2006

Comments
(available in one language only)

...