COLLEGE MEETING: A Europe that Protects: Commission calls for more efforts to ensure adoption of security proposals

The Commission is today reporting on progress made in building a genuine and effective Security Union since the October European Council. Good progress is being achieved on a number of security initiatives, including the proposals to remove terrorist content online and to reinforce the European Border and Coast Guard, but more efforts are needed from the European Parliament and the Council to deliver results on all pending security proposals ahead of the European Parliament elections in May 2019.

Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos said: “We have already made enormous strides in our efforts to build a Security Union. We are now in the final mile of this legislature and we need to redouble our efforts to finish the job we started. Our citizens expect us to deliver a Europe that protects.” Commissioner for the Security Union Julian King said: “Following the decision by Member States on tackling terrorist content online, we’re ready to pursue an agreement with the European Parliament. We are also looking to finalise an agreement with the Parliament in the coming days on modernising EU-wide law enforcement databases. And we’re strengthening our collective efforts on tackling disinformation and other threats to the forthcoming European elections. Building the Security Union is a top priority.” The Commission has also made available an additional €5 million under the Internal Security Fund (ISF) to counter radicalisation through community and youth engagement (more information here) and €12 million under the Civil Society Empowerment Programme launched via the EU Internet Forum to strengthen counter-terrorist narratives online. The full press release and a factsheet “A Europe that Protects” are available online.