Brussels, 25/11/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 25 November, the European Commission published a Eurobarometer opinion poll on how people in the EU view threats to security in Europe, pointing out that some people want the EU to do more to tackle crime, terrorism and extremism and expect dangers to increase over the next few years, particularly cybercrime. On the same day, the Commission published its first report on the European Homeland Security Strategy introduced in November 2010. In the report, it explains what has been achieved over the past year and makes a number of recommendations.
In the poll of 27,000 people living in Europe, the Commission points out that the main threat seen to homeland security in Europe is crime due to the economic crisis according to 34% of those polled, followed by terrorism (33%), organised crime (21%), poverty, illegal immigration, corruption and nuclear disasters (18%). On a national level, the economic crisis is seen as the greatest risk by 33% of those polled, followed by terrorism (25%), poverty and organised crime. The Commission points out that at least one in ten say that porous borders and religious extremism are the most serious threat to national security in their country.
The Commission explains that when it comes to EU action, six of every ten people polled say they are happy with what the EU is doing, while four out of ten call for more measures at both EU and national level. Cybercrime is seen as one of the biggest dangers for the next few years by 63% of those polled, followed by organised crime (57%), environmental disasters (54%) and terrorism (51%), while 43% of those polled say that ensuring borders are secure will be one of the main problems to be tackled (but it only comes in fifth place).
The Commission says that the perception of those polled is quite good because it emerges from the report on homeland security that at least three new dangers are of particular concern - the internet which is being used to perpetrate a whole range of crimes and spread terrorist propaganda, the current economic crises that are leading to cuts in public spending to tackle threats to homeland security, and the Arab Spring which has put EU's borders under pressure and created in certain cases the conditions for increases in crime.
Most of the measures carried out by the Commission this year tackled these issues, explains the Commission, quoting draft legislation on a new PNR system to tackle terrorism and serious crime, anti-corruption measures including a two-yearly report on corruption in the EU27, and the Commission's network for raising awareness about extremism. The Commission has been very active on the question of border security and the Schengen area, suggesting in September that member states in Schengen should be allowed to restore border controls in exceptional circumstances, such as large numbers of would-be immigrants arriving en masse.
The above measures were promised by the Commission to the member states but have been getting short shrift from the European Parliament and the outcome of talks is far from certain. The Commission does not want to extend the European PNR system to flights within the EU although some member states are calling for it, and the Commission, Parliament and Council of Ministers disagree strongly on Schengen, with the Commission wanting to have a say on whether countries should be allowed to reintroduce border controls, which is opposed by a number of countries, headed by France and Germany. This sensitive Schengen question will be discussed by EU27 home affairs ministers in Brussels on 14 December. (SP/transl.fl)