Brussels, 19/01/2015 (Agence Europe) - The mainstay of the response to the attacks committed in France between 7-9 January (as well as the attacks being prepared but thwarted in Belgium on 15 January) is in the hands of the EU home secretaries and heads of state and government meeting on 12 February. Nonetheless, the ministers for foreign affairs meeting up on Monday 19 January, attempted to provide a contribution to the discussion by advocating dialogue with Arab and African countries, as well as enhancing the “fight against terrorism” dimension in their mutual projects and discussions.
At their meeting in Brussels, all the EU foreign ministers acknowledged the urgent need to take action and provide a comprehensive response to the problem of terrorism, explained one European source. The same source added “they are aware that the public has expectations about this dialogue” with third countries. The ministers had an afternoon meal with the Secretary General for the Arab League, Nabil El Araby, and agreed to focus their action on several areas such as training, support for developing intelligence services, preventing acts of terrorism in aviation, dialogue and mutual understanding, as well as conflict prevention and support for finding solutions. Together with third countries, they will also continue to implement the October 2014 strategy on foreign combatants, which includes mechanisms for neutralising communication channels, recruitment networks and reception points, when these combatants return to Europe. Didier Reynders, the Belgian Foreign Minister, said that they should also strengthen cooperation between European intelligence services.
When they arrived in Brussels, many ministers referred to the need for the EU to set up a European PNR system, which should help them to collect data about European airline passengers coming back from third countries or going to them. The French Minister for Foreign Affairs, Laurent Fabius, subsequently called for this instrument to be unblocked and speaking on the French TV channel France 2 explained “the PNR is blocked at the European Parliament. Given what has happened in France, Belgium and elsewhere, we hope that the European Parliament will understand that we need to unblock this PNR”. Although the question of PNR was discussed, especially within the context of the discussion with Gilles de Kerchove and Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, who also attended the meeting, European foreign ministers did not decide anything on the subject, which is within the remit of the Home Secretaries.
At a foreign affairs level, ministers particularly highlighted the antiterrorism dimension in the European programmes, such as the peace and stability instruments, communication with Arab countries, particularly by using Arabic speaking personnel and possibly identifying new partnerships in the Middle East or with Turkey. Within the context of Europeans' security, the possibility of introducing security attacheés was discussed, in European delegations in sensitive countries. Nonetheless, on this question, no decision was taken either and ministers only mentioned a number of possible areas where they could work that would be suggested to the European leaders for their meeting on 12 February. The next Foreign Affairs Council planned for 9 February is expected to help fine-tune ministers' proposals.
The Home Secretaries will be meeting up informally on 29-30 January in Riga. The Standing Committee on Operational Cooperation on Internal Security (COSI) is taking place on Tuesday 20 January to this effect and will discuss a note containing seven areas of possible action identified by the French government: strengthening external border controls (including the possibility of controls on EU citizens), the European level PNR, improving information and analysis exchanges (especially at Europol, Eurojust, Interpol), action against illegal arms traffickers, action on the Internet and the removal of certain content, in collaboration with industry, the fight against radicalisation (particularly by developing “counter narratives”) and, finally, an enhanced synergy between internal and external security. (SP with CG, JK and EL)