Concern over quest for common policy

The terrorist attacks in the United States may affect the debate in Europe over immigration. Some fear that terrorists and extremists enter Member States as asylum seekers. Human rights groups claim governments, desperate to show they are combating terrorism, are using the crisis as a pretext to restrict immigrants and asylum seekers. But the moves also come at a time when there is growing consensus that Europe will need immigrants to make up for the demographic shortfall common in most EU states.