Security Union: EU law on combatting terrorism led to stronger criminal justice rules against terrorism and more rights for victims

Today, the Commission has adopted a report assessing the measures that Member States have taken to comply with the EU rules on combating terrorism (Directive 2017/541). This Directive is the main criminal justice instrument at EU level to counter terrorism. It sets minimum standards for defining terrorist and terrorism-related offences and for sanctions, while also giving victims of terrorism rights to protection, support and assistance. Today’s report concludes that the transposition of the Directive into national law helped strengthen Member States’ criminal justice approach to terrorism and the rights afforded to victims of terrorism. While the measures taken by Member States to comply with the Directive are overall satisfactory, there are however gaps that are a cause for concern. For example, not all Member States criminalise in their national law all the offences listed in the Directive as terrorist offences. In addition, there are deficiencies in the measures that Member States have taken to criminalise travel for terrorism purposes and the financing of terrorism, as well as to support victims. The Commission will continue to support Member States in working towards full and correct transposition of the Directive. Where necessary, the Commission will make use of its powers under the Treaties through infringement procedures. The report will now be presented to the European Parliament and the Council.