Communication: A Europe that protects: an initiative to extend the competences of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office to cross-border terrorist crimes

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Terrorism remains one of the most significant challenges facing our societies. Acts of terrorism constitute one of the gravest types of crime and violate the very values upon which the European Union is founded.

Over the past years, the terrorist threat in the European Union has remained high and has continued to evolve. In addition to the emergence of new forms of terrorist attacks, online propaganda and networking via social media have become powerful tools for terrorists to reach out in the EU for recruitment, radicalisation and fundraising. The threat of terrorism is present and a long-term challenge, which requires a comprehensive and structural Union response, including the investigation and prosecution of terrorist offences across the EU.

The Commission presents this initiative to extend the competence of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) to investigate and prosecute terrorist crimes affecting more than one Member State as part of the comprehensive and strengthened European response to terrorist threats.