On Monday 15 June, the Council of the EU approved by written procedure conclusions calling for the strengthening of the EU's External Action on Preventing and Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism.
“The threat from Da’esh and Al Qaeda and their affiliates remains high”, the text notes, and therefore the mobilisation of the international community must not waver.
At the same time, other key challenges require greater resolute action by the EU, depending on the Member States; for example, bringing foreign terrorist fighters to justice and preventing them travelling, or adapting to developments in money laundering and terrorist financing.
The EU Council furthermore recognises that the fight against the misuse of the Internet for terrorist purposes is essential and emphasises, in this respect, the need for a European regulation preventing the dissemination of illegal terrorist content online (see EUROPE 12385/10).
It should be noted that the text also underlines the need to assess the potential influence of the Covid-19 pandemic on terrorist activities in order that possible targeted EU action can be identified.
The conclusions additionally called for enhanced cooperation with those regions most affected by terrorism, including the Western Balkans, North Africa, the Middle East, the Sahel region and the Horn of Africa.
They will update the previous EU Council conclusions of 2015 (see EUROPE 11249/9) and 2017 (see EUROPE 11811/7).
See the conclusions adopted: https://bit.ly/2AwW4mU (Original version in French by Marion Fontana)