The European Parliament adopted by a resolution tabled by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs on renewing the EU Internal Security Strategy (ISS), which noted that the ISS for the 2010-2014 period was coming to an end and a new ISS for the 2015-2019 period was being prepared.

It noted that the security situation in Europe had changed dramatically in recent years owing to new conflicts and upheavals in the EU’s immediate neighbourhood, the rapid development of new technologies, and growing radicalisation leading to violence and terrorism. Since many security challenges were cross-border and cross-sectoral in nature, a common European approach was required.

Parliament called for the new ISS to be forward-looking and strategic, and easily adaptable to evolving situations, by focusing not only on existing security threats but also on emerging ones and taking an integrated, comprehensive and holistic approach to priority areas such as cybersecurity, trafficking in human beings and counter-terrorism, and to interlinked issues such as organised crime, money laundering and corruption.

Parliament noted with concern the rapidly rising number of EU nationals who travel to conflict areas to join terrorist organisations and subsequently return to EU territory, presenting new types of risks to EU internal security; Parliament said this worrying trend must be treated using a multi-dimensional approach, including by (i) addressing underlying factors such as radicalisation, intolerance and discrimination, (ii) counterbalancing incitement to perform terrorist acts motivated by extremism, (iii) preventing recruitment in conflict, including the actual travel of foreign fighters to conflict areas, within the appropriate legal frameworks, (iv) disrupting financial support to terrorist organisations and individuals aiming to join them, and (v) providing for legal prosecution where appropriate.

Members called for the right balance to be sought between prevention policies and repressive measures in order to preserve freedom, security the protection of all fundamental rights. All instrument must include the appropriate safeguards of accountability and judicial redress. Furthermore, Parliament felt it regrettable that the ISS still lacked a proper ‘justice dimension’.

It pointed out that proper implementation of the new ISS was of critical importance, that a clear division of tasks between the EU level and the national level was necessary, and that both the European Parliament and the national parliaments needed to be part of this monitoring process.

Lastly, Parliament regretted the fact that the Commission's communication did not contain an evaluation of the current instruments and a corresponding assessment of remaining gaps.

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 cycle’s 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.