The Council adopted a series of conclusions on the
development of a renewed European Union Internal Security Strategy
(ISS).
The Commission reported in 2011 and 2013 on the
implementation of its Internal Security Strategy in Action for the
period 2010-2014.
At its meeting on 26-27 June 2014, the European
Council defined the strategic guidelines for legislative and
operational planning for the coming years within the area of
freedom, security and justice and called for a review and update of
the Internal Security Strategy by mid 2015.
Following the request of the European Council, work
started within the Council with a strong involvement of the
Commission. The Committee for operational cooperation on internal
security (COSI) reached agreement on the draft Council conclusions
on the development of a renewed European Union Internal Security
Strategy, subject to the lifting of Danish and United Kingdom
scrutiny reservations.
On this basis, the draft Council conclusions on the
development of a renewed European Union Internal Security Strategy
may be summarised as follows:
Main common threats and challenges: according to the draft conclusions, the main threats
and challenges for the future are as follows:
- serious and organised crime in all its forms and more specifically: facilitation
of illegal immigration and different forms and consequences of
trafficking in human beings, drug trafficking, counterfeiting,
Missing Trader Intra-Community (MTIC) and Excise fraud, organised
property crime, cybercrime, trafficking in firearms and
corruption;
- terrorism,
radicalisation, recruitment and financing related to
terrorism;
- cybercrime and the need for cyber
security, for citizens, businesses
and public institutions;
- threats and challenges stemming from the use of new
technologies;
- crises and natural and man-made disasters
in relation to internal security.
A more comprehensive and coherent
approach: the Strategy intends to
adopt a comprehensive and coherent approach both horizontally (law
enforcement, integrated border management, judicial authorities,
customs, civil protection agencies, administrative and other
relevant authorities, academia, non-governmental organisations,
private sector) and vertically (international and EU level
cooperation, regional, Member States' national, regional and local
policies) through promoting a multidisciplinary approach,
intelligence, exchange of information supervised by the European
instruments, coordination of investigations and prosecutions in the
Member States (including financial investigations aimed at the
confiscation of criminal assets) and increased operational
cooperation including the EU's external borders.
ISS and external security: the Strategy is a shared agenda for action, where
closer links between internal and external security should be
developed and cooperation with third countries and partners such as
Interpol should be promoted. It also aims to enhance cooperation,
including operational cooperation, on the EU policy cycles
current and future priorities as well as cooperation on addressing
radicalisation, and recruitment to terrorism and to address the
issue of issue of foreign fighters and returnees.
Lastly, the Strategy is set against the broader
context of safeguarding fundamental rights with the assistance of
the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA). Rights.
Implementation: the
ISS should focus on the consistent, coherent and effective
implementation, application and consolidation of existing tools,
legislation and policy measures. In this context, the Commission is
invited to submit to the European Parliament and the Council an
annual report on action taken within the framework of the EU's
Internal Security Strategy. This report should monitor and
evaluate results and provide regular updates on measures taken to
strengthen internal security within the Union. Based on these
reports, the Council will consider the appropriate measures in
order to achieve the goals of the EU's Internal Security
Strategy.