On Wednesday 15 February, the European Parliament debated anti-terrorism measures, including the new directive that seeks to criminalise preparatory acts such as travelling abroad for terrorism purposes, and highlighted the current weaknesses, in particular in terms of exchange of information among the relevant national departments.
MEPs, scheduled to adopt the new directive on Thursday, debated the issue and new measures putting in place systematic control of all travellers, whether European nationals or not, as they enter or leave the EU.
Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, Germany) said that the result reached on the directive, which was presented at the end of 2015 in the wake of the Paris attacks, was a good compromise and provided a fair balance between security and respect for fundamental rights.
She gave assurances that freedom of expression and freedom of opinion were not under any threat from this directive, only clear propaganda and promotion of terrorism or targeted recruitment. The directive would not affect manifestation and expression of opinions, she said, without persuading everyone, however.
Eva Joly (Greens/EFA, France) argued that priority should be given to information exchange and that this should be made automatic and compulsory between member states, something which is not yet contained in the directive. This former judge says that the directive could infringe liberties and, in providing for penalties against acts of a terrorist nature that result in economic damage to states, it could be used against any act of civil or environmental disobedience that harmed economic interests, she warned.
German MEP Cornelia Ernst (GUE/NGL), too, said that definitions of “terrorism” remained too “imprecise”.
Security Union Commissioner Sir Julian King gave assurances that the directive brought sound progress and real improvement for the rights of victims of terrorist attacks for whom immediate aid, legal aid and access to medical treatment have been strengthened. The directive also strengthens the exchange of information and makes travelling abroad for terrorist purposes a criminal offence throughout the EU. All this, he said, has been achieved “in less than a year”.
What makes the directive all the more “relevant” is that other foreign fighters could return to Europe as the power bases of so-called Islamic State in Syria and Iraq “crumble”. The section on victims is every bit as relevant. Following the Brussels attacks in March 2016 which caused the deaths of 32 people, some 850 people sought assistance. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)