Brussels, 22/11/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 22 November, the European Commission proposed measures to break up criminal and terrorist networks, fight cyber crime, achieve more intelligent order management and step up the EU's capacity to react to crises.
The “EU Internal Security Strategy in Action”, a communication adopted by the Commission, comprises “five steps towards a safer Europe” and 41 actions to react to the most urgent security threats. The text proposes five strategic objectives and specific actions for 2011-2014 which, in parallel to efforts and initiatives already underway, will help to make the Union a safer place.
The Commission makes the point that large-scale and organised crime take many different forms: trafficking in human beings, drugs running, selling arms, money-laundering and the illegal transfer and dumping of waste inside or outside Europe. Even apparently minor crimes, such as burglaries, car theft, the sales of counterfeit or dangerous goods and crimes committed by itinerant gangs very often reflect the existence of international criminal networks at local level. Additionally, “we need to combine our efforts and work together more closely to stop further attacks from happening”, the Commission writes. Cyber-crime is another growing threat. The main strategic objectives the Commission lists are as follows:
1. Disrupt international crime networks. In 2011, the Commission will present a legislative proposal on collecting data on airline passengers (PNR) entering or leaving the territory of the Union. According to the Commission, the Union should consider revising the anti-money-laundering legislation before 2013, in order to increase the transparency of incorporated bodies and legal structures. In 2011, the Commission will present a proposal on ways of monitoring and supporting measures taken by the member states to fight corruption. In the same year, the Commission will present a legislative proposal to tighten up the legal framework of the EU as regards confiscation, notably by authorising the confiscation of the assets of third parties in a larger number of cases. Lastly, in 2013, the Commission will communicate guidelines on best practice to prevent criminal groups from getting back their confiscated assets.
2. Preventing terrorism. Further to the signature of the agreement with the United States on the tracking of the financing of terrorism, the Commission will draft a policy in 2011 on the extraction and analysis of financial messaging data held on its territory. It will also propose the creation of a European network to raise awareness of radicalisation and develop support measures in exposing, translating and challenging extremist vile propaganda (2011).
3. Raise levels of security citizens and businesses in cyberspace. Developing the punitive and judicial capacities is the priority number one. By 2013, the Union intends to create, within its existing structures, a European cyber crime centre, which will allow the member states and institutions of the EU to develop operational and analytical resources for investigations and working together with international partners. Among other plans in the pipeline with a view to achieving this objective are: the creation of a network of computer emergency response teams (2012) and the creation of a European information sharing and alert system, SEPIA (2013).
4. Strengthening security through border management. Among the proposals under this heading are: creating a European system of the monitoring of external borders (2011), improving analysis to identify the weak points in the external borders (2011) and joint reports on the trafficking in human beings, trafficking in illegal immigrants and the smuggling of illegal trade goods as a basis for joint operations (2011).
5. Increasing Europe's resilience towards crises and disasters. The Commission is planning: a proposal on the implementation of the solidarity clause (2011), a proposal to develop a European emergency reaction capacity (2011) the creation of a risk management policy linking threat and risk assessment to decision-making (2014).
“EU internal security has traditionally been following a silo mentality, focusing on one area at a time. Now we take a common approach of how to respond to the security threats and challenges ahead (…). I encourage all relevant actors to take their responsibility to implement these actions and thereby strengthening EU security”, said Cecilia Malmström, Commissioner for Home Affairs. (L.C./transl.fl)