Counter-terrorism

A particularly worrying phenomenon is the rapidly rising number of EU nationals who radicalise in a short time-frame, often incited through the internet and social medial, some of them travelling to conflict areas to join terrorist organisations (so-called "foreign fighters") or otherwise potentially posing an internal security threat. Addressing this radicalisation process is a challenging and complex issue, which requires a multi-faceted approach, including addressing underlying factors, counterbalancing incitement, preventing recruitment in prisons or over the internet, involving first-line practitioners etc.
While national security is the sole responsibility of Member States, policies to counter terrorism and to increase our internal security are a shared responsibility between the Members States and the Union. Over the years, a multitude of policy instruments has been developed to target and stem security threats and to address and fight terrorism.