Strasbourg, 17/12/2014 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 17 December, MEPs meeting in Strasbourg adopted a resolution on the new internal security strategy for 2015-2019. They are eager to influence the strategy the Commission is expected to present in the first half of 2015 and send the Commission the message that this strategy needs to be based on a crucial balance between the security needs of European citizens and the protection of their fundamental rights.
The new internal strategy should be “easily adaptable to evolving situations” and not just focus on existing threats but also those emerging, explained the EP. Foreign fighters, cyber-security, human trafficking, organised crime, money laundering and corruption are among the priority action areas where a global EU approach is needed.
MEPs emphasise that the new strategy should be, “forward-looking and strategic, and easily adaptable to evolving situations” to ensure that new types of threat are addressed. The rapid increase in the number of Union nationals joining terrorist organisations in conflict zones and then returning to the Union particularly poses new kinds of risks, explain MEPs. They are calling for “a multidimensional approach to deal with underlying factors such as radicalisation and intolerance, and disrupt financial support to terrorist organisations”. MEPs say that recruitment should be prevented, as well as the “actual travel of foreign fighters to conflict areas”, and “legal prosecution where appropriate” should be applied. They also want a robust examination of existing tools before getting involved in new initiatives. The EP explained “Proper implementation, evaluation and better use of existing laws and instruments is needed before proposing the creation of new ones”. They also call for better cooperation among EU countries through joint investigation teams. MEPs stress that security measures should always be “evidence-based”, with “proper democratic oversight and accountability”. (SP)