Torn by climate change, food insecurity, uncontrolled population growth, political instability and terrorism, the Sahel poses an evolving threat on Europe’s doorstep, as the August coup in Mali has once again shown. With more or less success, the EU’s strategy for the region has tried to address the multiple factors of instability but the new action plan for the region will need to take the EU’s and Africa’s new geopolitical interests on board if it is to be more successful than its predecessor

EPRS policy podcast - Understanding the EU Strategy for the Sahel

Faced with a growing international terrorist threat, the European Union (EU) is playing an ever more ambitious role in counter-terrorism.&nbsp;Even though primary responsibility for combating crime and ensuring security lies with the Member States, the EU provides cooperation, coordination and (to some extent) harmonisation tools, as well as financial support, to address this borderless phenomenon.

EU spending in the area of counter-terrorism has increased over the years and is set to grow in the future, to allow for better cooperation between national law enforcement authorities and enhanced support by the EU bodies in charge of security, such as Europol and eu-LISA.

The action plan to reinforce the fight against the financing of terrorism focuses on two main strands of action: tracing terrorists through financial movements and preventing them from moving funds or other assets and disrupting the sources of revenue used by terrorist organisations, by targeting their capacity to raise funds.

In April the European Parliament adopted a new regulation that will target content such as texts, images, sound recordings or videos, including live transmissions, that incite, solicit or contribute to terrorist offences, provide instructions for such offences or solicit people to participate in a terrorist group. It will also cover material that provides guidance on how to make and use explosives, firearms and other weapons for terrorist purposes.

Hosting service providers will have to remove or disable access to flagged terrorist content in all member states within one hour of receiving a removal order from the competent authority. Member states will adopt rules on penalties, the degree of which will take into account the nature of the breach and the size of company responsible.

Fight against terrorism

In a November plenary vote Parliament demanded&nbsp;a robust and multifaceted approach to combat all forms of racism and discrimination, including structural and institutional racism, in the EU.

In a resolution&nbsp;Parliament strongly condemned&nbsp;that minorities and migrants, including LGBTQI persons, face structural racism, discrimination, hate, sustained inequalities, difficulties in accessing the justice system, and violence by the police.

As reported by the 2019 Eurobarometer, over half of Europeans believe that racial discrimination is widespread in their country, with “Being Roma” (61% of respondents), “Ethnic origin” (59%) and “Skin colour” (59%) being the top three grounds for discrimination.

On 18 September 2020, the European Commission published its communication “A Union of equality: EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025”. Concretely, the Action Plan calls for better enforcement of EU law; closer coordination, including through the appointment of a Coordinator for Anti-racism; the adoption of national action plans against racism and racial discrimination; more efforts in preventing discriminatory attitudes by law enforcement authorities; and increased diversity of staff in the EU institutions. Equality is one of the fundamental values on which the EU is founded.

It is duly reflected in the Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU. International agreements, such as the European Convention on Human Rights also prohibit discrimination on various grounds, with limited exceptions in justified cases. With regard to the fight against racism and xenophobia, the main EU instrument is the Framework Decision on combating certain forms and expressions of racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law. This framework decision harmonises criminal definitions and sanctions.&nbsp;

Fight against racism and xenophobia

Nearly all European countries have been affected by terrorism in one form or another and tackling it has never been easy.

 
The attacks in Nice, Brussels and Paris demonstrated once again the challenge of finding a rapid and effective response to those who would destroy us, while safeguarding our freedom and way of life. In the unfolding battle against terror, Parliament has an active role to play.

Fight against terrorism - 8th parliamentary term

Faced with a growing international terrorist threat, the European Union (EU) is playing an ever more ambitious role in counter-terrorism.

Even though primary responsibility for combating crime and ensuring security lies with the Member States, the EU provides cooperation, coordination and (to some extent) harmonisation tools, as well as financial support, to address this borderless phenomenon. EU spending in the area of counter-terrorism has increased over the years and is set to grow in the future, to allow for better cooperation between national law enforcement authorities and enhanced support by the EU bodies in charge of security, such as Europol and eu-LISA.

See more on this topic by visiting our <a href="https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/fight-against-terrorism-8th-parliamentary-term_2802_pk">package</a> for the 8th parliamentary term.

Fight against terrorism (2019-2020)

After a stabbing attack in Solingen, Germany, MEPs discuss how to manage unauthorised movements of third-country nationals within the EU. This follows Germany’s decision to reintroduce border controls on all land borders for six months to improve detection of illegal entries.

MEPs are raising concerns about the impact of these checks on Schengen free movement and reviewing preparations for the upcoming Pact on Migration and Asylum, set for 2026. The Pact focuses on strengthening security checks and accelerating asylum and return procedures for those not entitled to protection.

Need to prevent security threats like the Solingen attack through addressing illegal migration and effective return

European, German, French and Croatian flags at half-mast in Brussels and in Strasbourg, as a sign of European solidarity and out of respect for the victims of the Christmas market attack in Magdeburg, Germany, the Chido Cyclone in Mayotte, France and the knife attack at an elementary school in Zagreb, Croatia

EP Plenary session - Critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea

EP Plenary session - Protecting the EU budget and ensuring that EU funds do not benefit entities or individuals linked to terrorist or Islamist movement

EP Plenary session - Commission statement - Need to prevent security threats like the Solingen attack through addressing illegal migration and effective return

EP Plenary session - Council and Commission statements - Islamist terrorist attack on French schools and the need to protect people and promote social cohesion

European, Swedish and Belgian flags at half-mast at the EP headquarters in Brussels, following the attack in Brussels

European and Belgian flags at half-mast at the EP headquarters in Strasbourg, following the attack in Brussels

Moment of remembrance to pay tribute to the victims of acts of terrorism with the participation of Roberta METSOLA, EP President

European, German, Croatian and French flags at half-mast in front of the European Parliament buildings in Brussels and Strasbourg as a sign of European solidarity and out of respect for the victims of the Christmas market attack in Magdeburg, Germany, the Chido Cyclone in Mayotte, France, and the knife attack at an elementary school in Zagreb, Croatia.

European, German, Croatian and French flags at half-mast in front of the European Parliament buildings in Brussels and Strasbourg for the victims of the attack in Magdeburg, the Chido Cyclone in Mayotte and the knife attack in Zagreb

EP President Roberta METSOLA opens the plenary session mentioning the sixt anniversary of the 2018 terrorist attack at the Christmas market of Strasbourg, where journalists Antonio Megalizzi and Bartosz Orent-Niedzielsk were killed. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Statement by Roberta METSOLA, EP President, on the sixth anniversary of the 2018 terrorist attack at the Christmas market of Strasbourg

Opening statement by Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality on Critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea: Opening statement by Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality

Commission statement on Critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea.

Critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea: MEPs debate

Closing statement by Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality on Critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Critical infrastructure vulnerabilities and hybrid threats in the Baltic Sea: Closing statement by Helena DALLI, European Commissioner for Equality

Commissioner Ylva JOHANSSON opens the plenary debate on the reintroduction of internal border controls in the Schengen area and its impact on EU free movement. The recent decisions taken by Germany and other Schengen members to reinstate checks have sparked concerns about the future of the Schengen zone.

The reintroduction of internal border controls in a number of Member States and its impact on the Schengen Area: Opening statement by Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs

Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, opens the plenary session in Strasbourg, speaking about the 20th year anniversary of the Madrid attacks. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Introductory remark by Roberta METSOLA, EP President on the 20th year anniversary of the Madrid attacks

This news item shows extracts from the MEPs debate on the terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, Israel's right to defend itself in line with humanitarian and international law and the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Parliament advocates peace in the territory. Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, José Manuel ALBARES BUENO, Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of a stronger Europe in the World and Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission, give a statement during the debate.

The despicable terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, Israel's right to defend itself in line with humanitarian and international law and the humanitarian situation in Gaza: extracts from the debate

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