Debate on Counterterrorism following the recent terrorist attacks during the EP plenary session (11-14 April 2016) in Strasbourg. Statements by Jeanine HENNIS-PLASSCHAERT, Dutch Minister of Defence, Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Giovanni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), and&nbsp; Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP, DE), Rapporteur.

VERHOFSTADT, Guy (Renew, BE)

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

WEBER, Manfred (EPP, DE)

PITTELLA, Gianni (S&D, IT)

JUNCKER, Jean-Claude (LU)

fight against terrorism (T)

EU - France (T)

HOHLMEIER, Monika (EPP, DE)

HENNIS-PLASSCHAERT, Jeanine (ALDE, NL)

Counterterrorism following the recent terrorist attacks: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Jeanine HENNIS-PLASSCHAERT, Dutch Minister of Defence, We need to make optimal use of the tools we already have. Firstly maximum feeding and use of the data basis by member states is crucial, in particular the SISS II and focal point traveller at Europol. The Presidency is undertaking work to improve the use of the SISS II with the objective to agree on a number of actions at the JHG Council in June. Secondly, as of January first this year the European Counter terrorism centre at Europe, the ECTC is operational. The ECTC has been asked by France and by Belgium to support the investigations after the November Paris attacks and the Brussels attacks, which is Europol is doing is discovering links across the EU.

SOUNDBITE (English), Jeanine HENNIS-PLASSCHAERT, Dutch Minister of Defence, Together we need to speed up the negotiation of pending legislation. I refer in particular to the fire arms directive and the terrorism directive, as while the targeting amendments to the Schengen border scout about systematic controls of EU citizens as EU external borders.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, Anti-terrorism in Europe would not be effective until in such times until the Member states are ready to cooperate with the European agencies in particular Europol. And this is why when we are combating terrorism, we must recognize that no one can give lessons or lecture anyone and certainly not Belgium. We cannot lecture Belgium; it is a great country which has been heavily tried and no finger pointing at Belgium, please.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, Now is the time of action in the field of security and many other areas. It is fragmentation that renders us vulnerable and Europe needs a proper security Union and I'm counting on the backing of this Parliament to bring to creation all the proposals the Commission has brought forward and which can be the precursor of that Security Union, which I hope to see to materialise.

SOUNDBITE (French), Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC, In the next few weeks we will make sure that we can advance with the Security agenda and we will give an ambitious road map with its content and time table for implementation. The European Commission will be counting on the cooperation of the EP and Council because we are talking here about the security and the liberties of our citizens with is above all ours, a common obligation, thank you very much.

SOUNDBITE (German), Manfred WEBER (EPP, DE), Why we are we not in a position to find our own data, to evaluate that data and to find out how terror is financed, we don't have that possibility in Europe. There we have the Americans working on our behalf, but we need to have standards in Europe that we can be responsible for ourselves. Europol, the voluntary system to collect data did fail; therefore Europol must be entitled to demand information from member states.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Giovanni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), If we are to fight ISIS we need to start by fighting those who are buying oil from ISIS, which it acquires in the areas which it has taken over. We cannot have people in the West attacking ISIS on the one hand while on the same time doing business with those who are funding it. None of us has a magic wand to do away with terrorism but we can all be cohesive and work together in humility and unity.

SOUNDBITE (English), Guy VERHOFSTADT (ALDE, BE), Terrorist don't know borders it is only our police services and our intelligence service who know borders and we have a possibility now to change that, to build that up Mr Avramopoulos because we have the file on Europol.

SOUNDBITE (German), Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP, DE), Rapporteur on Combating terrorism , When it comes to the financing of terrorism there is still a lot to be done, there as well, to try and stop the financial flows to terrorist. We need to work together instead of working against each other.