Brussels, 09/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - “The level of threat remains high, there is still a serious risk of terrorist attacks in Europe”, said the European anti-terrorism coordinator, Gijs de Vries, on the eve of the commemoration of the attacks which hit Madrid on 11 March 2004. Appointed by the special European Council following these attacks, Gijs de Vries said that “both at national and at European level, we are better protected that a few years ago, but the threat remains high”. The coordinator highlighted concrete progress at European level, such as the adoption of biometric passports or the surveillance of money transfers at borders. He also spoke of the development of SitCen, the situation analysis centre, by the Council of the EU.
Nonetheless, the main thrust of the fight against terrorism, including awareness, remains the privilege of the Member States and of bilateral negotiations. “The police, the security services and legal services remain instruments of the nation State”, stressed the coordinator, who acknowledges that “the role of the EU is not to replace the Member States in this fight but to support them, by helping national agencies to work together better”. The Heads of State and Government have not created a European police force or an agency like the CIA, he said.
On Tuesday, the European Commission adopted a report on terrorism, which recalls detailed plans and proposals in its communications of October to protect infrastructure, ensure the cooperation of banks and set up a central warning system for serious crises at the Commission (EUROPE of 21 October). Commissioner Frattini told a press conference on Wednesday that he wanted to launch a debate on these proposals and pointed out that the European Commission was to present a control instrument for the adoption and implementation of texts, in May. He said that the Commission had a “very different and much weightier task” than that of the coordinator and of the Council because is “has executive competency” and must transform ideas into actions.
There are still delays in the implementation of almost all the texts the Member States undertook to apply in the declaration the special European Council of 25 March on terrorism. “The situation has improved”, said Gijs de Vries, but “this does not rule out delays on the part of certain countries”. A European source claimed that the Member States are only up to speed on the appointment of a Eurojust correspondent on issues related to terrorism. There are still delays for 17 other texts, including joint investigation teams, the framework-decision defining terrorism, freezing assets and evidence, extending the powers of Europol and the United Nations Convention Against the Taking of Hostages. No State is applying all the texts. Luxembourg, Italy, Ireland and Greece are the furthest behind. Italy is the only country still not applying the European arrest warrant. The other Member States, new and old, have no more than five delays. Most of these texts have more to do with legal and police cooperation in general than with terrorism.
The Parliament is to pay tribute to the victims of terrorism this Thursday, with a minute's silence. Many European leaders are on their way to Madrid or are already there, for the Madrid conference on terrorism, from Tuesday to Thursday. On Friday, a short ceremony will be held in Madrid.