Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-09-15-Speech-3-005"
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"en.20040915.1.3-005"2
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".
Mr President, last Saturday we commemorated the fact that the world suddenly changed three years ago. In this presentation, I would first like to look back and explain the basis for our policy, then address the current situation in the fight against terrorism before going into the work programme of the Dutch presidency. I will end with a few words on cooperation with Russia.
I turn now to the presidency programme. The work programme of the Netherlands presidency in the field of counter-terrorism is extensive and wide-ranging. In addition to a strong focus on implementation of EU measures and legislation, it entails new initiatives in many fields. An important tool in this matter is the EU Counter-Terrorism Action Plan. It was adopted by the European Council after the horrendous attacks in Madrid last March. The presidency works in close cooperation with the EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, Mr Gijs de Vries, to implement and complement this action plan.
Key areas in which we, as presidency, want to take substantial steps forward are Justice and Home Affairs, improvement of cooperation between intelligence services, prevention of terrorist financing and strengthening of the EU's external policies and counter-terrorism.
On Justice and Home Affairs, we will focus on the implementation of measures like the European arrest warrant. We also need to improve the way our intelligence agencies work together. Having good information on what terrorists are planning and preparing to do is our first line of defence. The EU Action Plan already outlines some of the steps that we intend to take and Mr De Vries is fully engaged in this process. We are in the process of strengthening the EU Situation Centre that will be instrumental in pooling analyses on terrorism in Europe. We also need to strengthen the role of Europol and make sure it can play its role. In the near future, the European Union Justice and Home Affairs Ministers will sit with their US counterparts to see how we can strengthen transatlantic cooperation in the fight against terrorism.
The prevention of terrorist financing is high on our agenda. Even though the EU is at the forefront of the fight against terrorism, we cannot sit back and relax. Money is the life-blood of terrorism and we need to reinforce our financial systems to make sure that they are not abused by terrorists. The third Money Laundering Directive is a fresh step in this matter. We also need to strengthen our policies to freeze assets of terrorists. We therefore seek to make the EU Clearing House more effective and to secure better implementation. Finally, we will be looking at ways to prevent cash couriers from circumventing banking regulations by taking their money in cash across borders.
In our external policies we want to make sure that the resources of the Union are being used to their full extent in order to work with other countries in the fight against terrorism. As I have already said, terrorism is a phenomenon that does not respect international borders. It is our firm belief that we must work with third countries to promote the ratification and implementation of UN counter-terrorism conventions and to use political dialogue and technical assistance to support countries willing to cooperate. The EU is already active in Indonesia, the Philippines and Pakistan, where it is implementing specific programmes. The EU also operates other programmes in various countries with a view, more generally, to strengthening their judicial systems. We feel that the EU should do more and therefore we are talking to a number of key countries to explore how we can enhance our cooperation.
That brings me to terrorism in Russia. Russia is very worried about the threat of terrorism, and rightly so. But, more than a mere worry, this is a true problem for Russia, which has suffered three major attacks in little more than a week. We must show – and indeed have shown – our sympathy. It is clear that the European Union has always systematically condemned all acts of terrorism. The Russians deserve all the support we can give them. Hence we stand by Russia to assist it in its efforts to fight terrorism. In our relations with Russia, we already discuss counter-terrorism on a regular basis. We stand ready to increase cooperation on a technical level and to share the counter-terrorism experience that we have gained in the EU. We will use the regular dialogues that we have with Russia to discuss how to proceed in this matter. We are willing to discuss anti-terrorism strategies and methods with the Russians so that we can learn from each other.
This cooperation forms part of our overall strategy to strengthen relations between the European Union and Russia. It is part of our goal to make tangible progress on all four common spaces at the next summit on 11 November. In the field of external security, we have made progress. But the interaction should go hand-in-hand with building up cooperation in the common space of internal security.
The terrorist attacks have prompted Moscow to continue to regard Chechnya as a predominantly anti-terrorist issue. This gives rise to concern. We have been consistent in our position that human rights should be respected in the fight against terrorism. Indeed, the European Union has a clear position on the situation in Chechnya. We will continue to present this position to Russia in future.
As to the terrorist attack in Beslan, I will be brief. We have fully and unconditionally condemned this attack and have offered our condolences to the relatives of the victims, the Russian Government and the Russian people. We therefore fully supported your initiative, Mr President, for schools all over Europe to respect a one-minute silence at noon yesterday in commemoration of the victims of this terrorist attack. In that way our children were able to show the world their grief for its victims and their worries about terrorism. It is now up to us, the politicians, to translate these worries into further concrete action and to reinvigorate our fight against terrorism while respecting our core values.
Since 11 September 2001, it has become clear that terrorist attacks are closer to us than we wanted to believe. It is a threat that we cannot neglect. We have all seen the horrific terrorist attacks on television. We are witnesses to these attacks and are also jointly responsible for ensuring that they do not happen again. What we have seen, both outside the European Union – in Jakarta, Beslan, Iraq, Afghanistan and the Middle East – and inside the European Union – in Madrid six months ago – requires action now and in the future. Every attack poses new questions which require new answers and pose new challenges that we have to address jointly through concrete action. We need to protect our citizens better. We need to continue to look at our policy instruments in close cooperation with others. There are no quick fixes for terrorism. In the long battle against terrorism, two key words spring to mind: protection and cooperation, as well as the idea of protection through cooperation.
On protection, the European Union has done a lot in the last three years. We have improved our legislation and widened our policy instruments. We have drawn up and implemented new measures to protect borders, aircraft, etc. We have started to put security first, also at international level.
On cooperation, the terrorist attacks have taught us that internal and external security cannot be separated: they are two sides of the same coin. There are two basic reasons for this: firstly, terrorism does not stop at borders and, secondly, terrorism is a global threat: it can happen – and indeed has happened – anywhere in the world. True protection can therefore be realised only through international cooperation. We also have to look carefully at whether our approach matches those of our partner countries in order to create sufficient possibilities for close cooperation. National and international action should be dovetailed for their mutual strengthening.
Terrorism is an attack not only on our political and economic freedom, but also on our norms and values: liberty, democracy, tolerance and the rule of law, values that we have to defend. Terrorism is also not just an attack on western values, it is an attack on universal values which form the foundation for the United Nations. The only way to defeat terrorism is to confront it. We must therefore be strong and active to fight this many-headed monster. There might be a temptation to believe that any measure could be used in this fight. But here, we have to be cautious. In our common fight, we should uphold the norms and values that terrorism is seeking to destroy.
Terrorism to a large extent boils down to security, which is the core of our existence. A new approach to security has been developed, through various processes, with a view to taking more conclusive action against terrorists and preventing new attacks. The UN is at the core. UN Security Council Resolution 1373 has forced countries to improve their policies on terrorism, not only in word but also in deed, not only by improving old legislation or by drafting new legislation but also by implementing it. The resolution contains
measures to combat the financing of terrorism and promotes efforts that should lead to the prevention of terrorism and the punishment of terrorists. The counter-terrorism agenda, incorporated in UN Security Council Resolution 1373, should therefore be considered to be the most important global point of reference for action – action that has to be taken by all United Nations Member States.
Within the European Union, the European Council and the General Affairs Council – as well as other Council formations such as the Justice and Home Affairs Council, the Transport Council and Ecofin – has actively worked, from 9/11 onwards, on setting up, implementing and refining an extensive EU action plan. Amongst other things, this involved a European arrest warrant, joint investigation teams, Eurojust and legislation on terrorist financing.
We have also been active as regards external policy. The key issue of security is at the centre of the European Security Strategy, which should contribute to a stronger multilateral system. It should address various threats – including terrorism – through active, more coherent internal and external action, with stronger capacities and in close cooperation with our partners.
We have also decided to include a terrorism clause in new contractual relations with third countries, similar to the human rights clause. This will allow us to hold serious consultations with third countries which are not fully observing their international obligations in the fight against terrorism, including with regard to the implementation of Resolution 1373. By adopting the carrot-and-stick approach – carrots taking the form of assistance – we use the political and economic power of the European Union in the fight against terrorism."@en1
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