Meeting: Justice and Home Affairs Council, 20 November 2015

Following the terrorist attacks in Paris on 13 November 2015 the Luxembourg EU Presidency, in coordination with French authorities, convened an extraordinary meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council in Brussels on 20 November 2015. The objective was to ensure the follow-up of existing measures and discuss how to strengthen the EU response by adopting a set of conclusions.

Ministers underlined the importance of accelerating the implementation of all areas covered by the statement on counter-terrorism issued by the Members of the European Council of 12 February 2015 and in particular of the following measures: EU Passenger Name Record (PNR) directive, firearms, controls of external borders, information sharing, terrorist financing, criminal justice response to terrorism and violent extremism.

Etienne Schneider, Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Internal Security and President of the Council said: 'The Council recalled the urgency and importance it attaches to the European Passenger Name Record directive. The Presidency maintains its aim of finalising this dossier before the end of this year. We have to negotiate an effective and operational directive which should include internal flights and a reasonable data retention period, and which should not be limited to crimes of a transnational nature. That is the negotiating mandate which was confirmed today by the Council'.

Ministers also adopted, without discussion, a set of conclusions on enhancing the criminal justice response to radicalisation leading to terrorism and violent extremism.

ESO: Background information: Endorsement of a non-binding resolution on radicalisation and recruitment of European citizens by terrorist organisations http://www.europeansources.info/record/endorsement-of-a-non-binding-resolution-on-radicalisation-and-recruitment-of-european-citizens-by-terrorist-organisations/

ESO: Background information: France seeks answers to security challenge http://www.europeansources.info/record/france-seeks-answers-to-security-challenge/

ESO: Background information: European Agenda on Security - State of Play http://www.europeansources.info/record/european-agenda-on-security-state-of-play/

EurActiv, 18.11.15: Commission points finger at capitals for poor external border controls http://www.euractiv.com/sections/global-europe/commission-points-finger-capitals-poor-external-border-controls-319625

EUObserver, 18.11.15: France and Commission push to fortify Schengen https://euobserver.com/justice/131165

Politico, 19.11.15: France to demand help in fighting terrorism http://www.politico.eu/article/france-council-counter-terrorism-proposals/

European Parliament: Press Release, 19.11.15: Terrorist attacks: MEPs demand more information-sharing and coordination in EU http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/news-room/content/20151118IPR03209/

Politico, 19.11.15: Europol chief warns of further terror attacks http://www.politico.eu/article/europol-chief-wainwright-terror-attacks-warning-europe/

EurActiv, 20.11.15: Council pushes for broad collection of flight passenger data after Paris attacks http://www.euractiv.com/sections/digital/council-pushes-broad-collection-flight-passenger-data-after-paris-attacks-319676

EUObserver, 20.11.15: EU citizens to be checked at borders https://euobserver.com/justice/131195

Deutsche Welle, 20.11.15: France's Cazeneuve urges EU to act against terrorism at interior ministers' meeting http://dw.com/p/1H9Hx

ESO: Background information: Conclusions of the Council of the EU and of the Member States meeting within the Council on Counter-Terrorism http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-conclusions-of-the-council-of-the-eu-and-of-the-member-states-meeting-within-the-council-on-counter-terrorism/

ESO: Background information: Conclusions of the Council of the European Union and of the Member States meeting within the Council on enhancing the criminal justice response to radicalisation leading to terrorism and violent extremism http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-conclusions-of-the-council-of-the-european-union-and-of-the-member-states-meeting-within-the-council-on-enhancing-the-criminal-justice-response-to-radicalisation-leading-to-terrorism-an/

EurActiv, 20.11.15: Paris attacks show flawed use of Schengen rules, ministers confess http://www.euractiv.com/sections/justice-home-affairs/paris-attacks-show-flawed-use-schengen-rules-ministers-confess-319706

Politico, 20.11.15: EU agrees to French request to tighten border controls http://www.politico.eu/article/eu-agrees-to-tighten-border-controls/

Statewatch: Briefing, 19.11.15: Briefing: Counter-terrorism: what the EU is discussing after the Paris attacks http://www.statewatch.org/news/2015/nov/briefing-terrorism-council1.htm

EUObserver, 20.11.15: EU agrees on Schengen checks for all https://euobserver.com/justice/131202

Politico, 20.11.15: EU gun control plans under fire http://www.politico.eu/article/eu-gun-control-plans-under-fire/

Politico, 20.11.15: EU vows to cut off terrorists’ financing networks http://www.politico.eu/article/eu-cut-off-terrorists-financing-networks-funding-bitcoin/

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