Plan to boost applicants’ ability to fight terrorism

Date: 27/07/00

By John Shelley

THE FRENCH presidency has tabled plans to involve police and security services from countries applying to join the EU in the bloc's fight against terrorism.

The proposals are designed to bring the candidates' ability to combat terrorism up to Union standards before accession.

Paris is suggesting establishing fixed contact points between anti-terrorism units in the EU and the applicant countries, and says security services should exchange information on the likelihood of attacks on targets thought to be at risk.

The applicant countries are already working to bolster their justice and crime-fighting systems in preparation for Union membership. But EU governments believe specific action is needed to combat political violence because terrorists increasingly operate on an international basis, using national borders to evade police and security services.

Member states fear expanding the EU's frontiers could give terrorists new opportunities to escape justice or launch attacks in countries with less sophisticated crime-fighting techniques.

"In the field of terrorism and security in general, the applicant countries often have a different recent history from that of present member states," claims the French paper. "They are undoubtedly less experienced in the fight against terrorism, and their services in charge of this task are less accustomed to a level of international cooperation which is as close as ours."

Paris argues that the EU should launch the process by organising an anti-terrorism seminar to familiarise police chiefs from the leading group of applicant countries with Union terrorism-fighting techniques.

Heads of police forces in those countries would also be invited to take part in counter-terrorist training courses at the planned European Police College.

The French Presidency has tabled plans to involve police and security services from countries applying to join the EU in the bloc's fight against terrorism.