WRITTEN QUESTION P-1833/00

by Rosemarie Müller (PSE) to the Council

(5 June 2000)

Subject: Terrorism

Having regard in particular to the latest developments in the Philippines, I ask the Council:

- On what does the Council base its fundamental understanding of terrorism, and how in particular does it differentiate between forms of cross-border terrorism?

- Does the Council distinguish between different forms of terrorism?

- If so, between what different forms, and on the basis of what analytical framework?

- If not, why not?

How does the Council assess the possibility:

- that European Union territory could be used as a fall-back position by foreign terrorists?

- that foreign terrorists could mount attacks on European Union territory?

- that terrorists acting independently of any state could come into the possession of weapons of mass destruction?

- how does it further assess the possibility that weapons of mass destruction might be deployed by terrorists acting independently of any state?

What action has the Council taken hitherto to analyse and counteract the terrorist threat?

To what extent does the Council cooperate in that connection with:

- Member State authorities?

- other states?

- international organisations?

Reply

(30 November 2000)

1. The main basis of the European Union action against terrorism is the La Gomera declaration adopted by the meeting of the European Council of 15/16 December 1995 in Madrid.

The declaration provides:

- for increase of exchange of operational information about terrorist groups;

- improvement of coordination and cooperation between judicial authorities;

- handing over to the judicial authorities with jurisdiction of those responsible for terrorist acts.

Moreover, all EU Member States have signed and with a few exceptions ratified the twelve pertinent UN international anti-terrorism conventions. In Article 29 of the TEU it is spelled out that the objective of providing citizens with a high level of safety within an area of freedom, security and justice shall be achieved by preventing and combating crime, organised or otherwise, including inter alia terrorism.

The Council decided on 3 December 1998 to instruct Europol to deal with crimes committed or likely to be committed in the course of terrorist activities against life, limb, personal freedom or property.

2. In order to signal terrorist trends and threats and alert Member States, every six months a confidential document on Internal and External Threat of Terrorism for EU countries is presented to the Council.

The recommendation on cooperation in combating the financing of terrorist groups adopted by the Council on 9 December 1999 is an important instrument to fight terrorism. Work on a Council recommendation on cooperation between risk assessment bodies is about to be finalised.

3. (a) Member States cooperate in the framework of the Council and Europol. In the Council terrorism experts of Member States meet in the Terrorism Working Party and COTER group governed respectively by dispositions of Titles V and VI of the TEU. Regular joint meetings of these groups take place.

(b) Cooperation on the suppression of terrorism with non-EU partners takes place, in particular, in the framework of the EU political dialogue on terrorism at expert level. In this context, the Troika of the working group on terrorism (COTER) has meetings twice a year with the United States, as well as with Russia and with the Associate countries. In these meetings, the two parties discuss trends on terrorism and other issues of mutual interest.

Since 1997, the EU has also had a dialogue with the Mediterranean countries within the Barcelona process, in the form of ad hoc meetings whose aim is to enhance cooperation on the suppression of terrorism.

In addition, the Council adopted on 13 April 2000 a Joint Action that will allow the EU to continue providing for another three years counter-terrorism assistance to the Palestinian Authority. This joint Action, adopted in 1997, reflects the EU coherent support to the Middle East Peace Process. This ten-million euro programme aims at improving the capacities of Palestinian security services and civil police.

Regarding concrete action at the political level, the EU will, as appropriate:

- encourage all States that have not yet done so to sign or ratify the international conventions against terrorism, and encourage them to comply with these conventions;

- put political pressure on countries which offer safe haven to terrorists. It can also take initiatives in this regard, as well as condemn individual acts of terrorism based on the CFSP procedures.