While terrorism has seemed to affect the EU a little less in recent years, the latest attack in Strasbourg last December reminded us that the threat is still there. It is true that the last legislature began with a series of particularly significant attacks, between Charlie Hebdo and the Bataclan in 2015, the attacks in Brussels, Nice or Barcelona in 2016, without mentioning them all.
European legislators had, in the aftermath, multiplied initiatives to strengthen the fight against terrorism, including the European PNR, the reform of the Schengen Information System, the creation of new European bases such as the entry/exit system, systematic Schengen controls at external borders, even for European nationals, and the establishment of the interoperability of information systems.
Has everything already been done in this area and is there therefore nothing more to propose in 2019? In any case, the theme seems to be much less prominent than migration or climate change in the campaign programmes of the European parties. But some families believe that new initiatives still need to be taken in the area of internal security.
This is the case of the European People's Party (EPP) and its candidate, Manfred Weber, who proposes in particular a 'European FBI'. This structure, which would be based on the current Europol Agency, consists of a greater sharing of national data and an even greater interconnection of European information systems. The EPP also proposes to put police forces under cover on the ground at the internal Schengen borders to check suspicious vehicles or passengers. At the national level, parties such as Les Républicains in France also suggest that internal border controls should be made permanent. The EPP also wants to strengthen the sharing of information between intelligence services, particularly on radicalised individuals.
For the Party of European Socialists, the security of Europeans is an important issue, but the Party's manifesto remains rather silent, simply calling for greater judicial and police cooperation in the fight against terrorism and organised crime. The PES gives more importance to collective security and the development of a common European defence.
Among the ALDE Liberals, "European citizens must be at the centre of our security and defence policy, which must involve concrete actions starting with ever closer cooperation against terrorism and more effective efforts to secure the EU's external borders". The strengthening of Europol's powers and cooperation in the exchange of information is another "necessary step". It is also necessary to defend oneself "against hybrid activities, such as disinformation campaigns, cyberspace, cyber attacks and cybercrime", the ALDE stresses.
Among ACRE's conservatives, security is approached more from the perspective of the security of external borders and the role of the former Fronttex, whose first prerogative must be to assist states in this task, but not to replace them - the party recalls. Member States are therefore invited to boost their own resources.
The European Greens insist on the need to work more vigorously to prevent terrorism and radicalisation, including through European funding, but also by reducing the circulation of weapons and introducing stricter rules on weapons. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)