After a disastrous 2015 and a 2016 marked by further terrorist attacks, the president of the European Commission announced a series of initiatives, in the morning of Wednesday 14 September, for boosting the security of Europeans and warding off terrorist attacks.
This boosting of security largely involves tightening controls at the EU’s external borders. While Europe must remain open and demonstrate solidarity, and while it is important to show terrorists that they do not have a chance when they attack European values, this should not be to the detriment of security, Jean-Claude Juncker stated.
In terms of combating terrorism, Juncker said that by November, the EU would unveil a system equivalent to the United States’ ESTA – in other words an advance registration system for people from non-EU countries wishing to travel to Europe. This European travel information and authorisation system (ETIAS) will request information in advance from people from countries benefiting from visa waivers. Juncker explained that this would give Europeans information about travellers before they even arrive in the EU.
It is important to know who is crossing the border, Juncker said, and therefore the creation of an EU border guard and coastguard service would help. On this issue, he hoped the new agency and the member states would start working together swiftly. He wants at least 200 coastguards and 50 additional vehicles to be deployed along Bulgaria’s external borders from October.
Juncker explained that he is prepared to boost Europol by giving it better access to databases. Europol will also be given the resources it requires to cover its needs.
The Commission president also said that work was required to enhance the exchange of information among member states, and the Commission therefore wants to encourage the creation of an information hub at Europol on terrorist threats and other forms of serious crimes. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)