The New European Security Strategy and Its Aim

• 05.02.2015, 15:13
•  Europe,  World

In the latest "Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council" EU officials propose a new security strategy for the EU 28.

The need for a new strategy aroused after the terrorist attacks and a huge number of EU member states’ citizens leaving the Union to join the Islamic state. After the Charlie Hebdo attacks, that shocked the whole world the European Commission is coming out with a new plan on security of different vulnerable areas.

Jean Claude Juncker presented it at a meeting in Strasbourg.

The new strategy paper proposes an anti-terror centre to help national security agencies in tracking suspicious bank accounts and extremist websites.  The paper, called "The European agenda for security," was not a concrete proposal for a new law, which would require the approval of European Union member states' governments and the EU parliament.

"We need more sharing of data, effective operational cooperation, additional trust building measures. in particular, we should develop judicial cooperation to complement law enforcement cooperation. Тhe existing European agencies need to be sufficiently equipped and work together more closely,"-  vice-president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans said. At the same time the decision-makers are the EU governments. Although there is an opinion that too much effort has again been put into regulatuions and not the practical implementation of security.

The commission is also calling for the prevention of  the radicalisation of young people and talks with internet firms on fighting jihadist propanganda.

The paper says, "The European Union aims to ensure that people live in an area of freedom, security and justice, without internal frontiers. Europeans need to feel confident that, wherever they move within Europe, their freedom and their security are well protected, in full compliance with the Union's values, including the rule of law and fundamental rights." Although the actual reasons for this new strategy are the need of national-governments to protect their citizens and the rising level of extremism and terrotism.

It should also be mentioned that at present the national governments are forming their own strict extra-policies for combating the extremism. Such examples are the United Kingdom, Denmark, France etc., which suffered the most from the terrorist attacks.