MEPs attack ‘inadequate’ EU terrorist blacklists

MEPs have criticised as inadequate new procedures introduced at EU level to improve the process of listing groups and individuals on its terrorist blacklist.

A new working group of member states’ terrorist experts has been set up in the Council of Ministers to examine what groups or individuals should be added to the list and which should be taken off. The group, known as CP931, has met twice since it was set up, once in September and again at the end of October.

"I think when something starts badly it is difficult to put it right," said Paulo Casaca, a Portuguese Socialist MEP, who campaigns on behalf of the People’s Mojahedin of Iran [PMOI] which disputes its inclusion on the list.

"This is something very worrying for the credibility of the EU’s functioning," he added.

Cem Özdemir, a German Green MEP, said that he was sceptical that the changes to the procedures for drawing up the terrorist list were sufficiently transparent and suggested the law might need to be changed to improve the process. "There may be a need to toughen legislation instead," he said.

The Council’s changes to its procedures on the terrorist list were prompted by a ruling by the European Court of First Instance last December following a challenge by the PMOI. Ozdemir criticised the motivation behind the Council’s decision to change the procedures: "These changes were done because of legal pressure but it should be a civil rights move."

Unlike the previous ‘clearing-house’ system, under which a group of experts from the member states used to decide on the terrorist list in an ad hoc fashion, the new working group has rules establishing how it should function. These include how it should handle information about terrorist groups from third states and for what reasons a member state might put a group on the list.

EU diplomats insist that the new procedure does make the process of including groups and individuals on the list more democratic and transparent. "Unanimity is required which means the member state which introduces someone on the list has to justify it. They have to present a strong case," said one diplomat.

Earlier this year the Council began informing groups and individuals that it intended to put them on the list and allowing them to send it a statement challenging the move. "The system is more transparent in that there is more direct information to individuals and entities concerned. Of course though, in the end it is the court which will decide if the changes go far enough," said another diplomat.

A recent Council of Europe report criticised the EU’s terrorist list and said that it was still unclear how effective the new procedure would be "in practice".

MEPs have criticised as inadequate new procedures introduced at EU level to improve the process of listing groups and individuals on its terrorist blacklist.