In the aftermath of the alleged terrorist attack in Strasbourg, which left 3 people dead and 12 injured, the European Parliament adopted on Wednesday 12 December the report of the Special Committee on Terrorism, which outlined measures for preventing these attacks.
The vote on the results of this temporary committee was scheduled well before this new attack in Strasbourg, the perpetrator of which was still at large on Wednesday afternoon.
The report prepared by Monika Hohlmeier (EPP, Germany) and Helga Stevens (ECR, Belgium) was widely supported with 474 votes in favour, 112 against, and 75 abstentions. It lists various ways to strengthen the role of EU agencies, such as Europol and the European Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems (eu-LISA), and underlines the need to strengthen the exchange of information between European agencies themselves, authorities in Member States, and between national and European levels.
The report, which was adopted in the Civil Liberties Committee on 14 November (see EUROPE 12137), provides inter alia for: - the creation of a European watch list of radical preachers; - increased surveillance to ensure the safety and surveillance of returnees to Europe who could be identified; - the prohibition of convicted terrorists from obtaining asylum.
The report refers to the strengthening of the EU's external borders and effective controls at all border crossings by means of the relevant databases. The inclusion of private aircraft in the PNR Directive on air passenger data is also suggested.
Also planed are measures to combat radicalisation, for example in prisons or through educational programmes, as well as the removal of radical online content.
Several elected representatives had expressed their hesitance before the vote, particularly in the Greens/EFA group. In the end, the majority of the Committee voted against the report. Within the ALDE group, some elected representatives voted against it, such as the Dutch representative, Sophie in't Veld. However, the majority of the Liberal Group, like the members of the EPP and S&D groups, supported the non-binding draft report. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)