Solana appoints counter-terrorism co-ordinator

The new EU counter-terrorism co-ordinator, Gilles de Kerchove, will make his first public appearance at an informal meeting of justice and interior ministers next month (1-2 October).

The post de Kerchove took up yesterday (19 September) is a remodelled one following agreement by interior ministers who met in Brussels this week.

The job is "a largely technical profile and role" and will involve co-ordinating between member states and EU institutions, according to the Portuguese Interior Minister Rui Pereira.

De Kerchove, a Belgian national, was until his appointment the director at the Council of Ministers’ Secretariat in charge of police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters and had worked with the previous counter-terrorism co-ordinator, Gijs de Vries, who stepped down in March.

"In this new function, Mr Gilles de Kerchove will co-ordinate the work of the Council of the EU in the field of counter-terrorism, maintain an overview of all the instruments at the Union’s disposal, closely monitor the implementation of the EU counter-terrorism strategy and ensure that the Union plays an active role in the fight against terrorism," said a statement from Javier Solana, the EU’s foreign policy chief, who appointed de Kerchove.

There had been discussions among member states about expanding the powers of the counter-terrorism co-ordinator. Germany’s Wolfgang Schäuble had spoken about a need for widening the role beyond the Council of Ministers. "Until now it has been a position of the Council [of Ministers] but that is not effective enough," he told European Voice in an interview in July.

British officials had also spoken about a need for a high-profile individual who would be capable of overseeing the EU counter-terrorism agenda.

But some member states have been reluctant to see a powerful EU-level role developed while the European Commission is also thought to be protective of the role of Franco Frattini, commissioner for justice, freedom and security.

"The idea was not to have someone political but someone technical who knows the Council procedures," said one EU diplomat.

Florian Geyer, research fellow at the Centre for European Policy Studies, said that de Kerchove was experienced and senior in the Council. "Some might say maybe we should have a ‘Mr Counter-Terrorism’ who is a political leader but it may prove more useful to have someone who sees the gaps and weaknesses at EU level," he said.

The new EU counter-terrorism co-ordinator, Gilles de Kerchove, will make his first public appearance at an informal meeting of justice and interior ministers next month (1-2 October).