Debate during the plenary session of July in Strasbourg on the recent terrorist attacks in Lyon, Susa (Tunisia) and Kuwait. Statements by Nicolas SCHMIT, Interim Presidency , Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration and Home Affairs, Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP, DE), Sylvie GUILLAUME (S&D, FR), Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK), Fernando MAURA BARANDIARÁN (ALDE, ES), Cornelia ERNST (GUE/NGL, DE) and Mario BORGHEZIO (ENF, IT)

SCHMIT, Nicolas (LU, EC)

debate

plenary session

fight against terrorism (T)

AVRAMOPOULOS, Dimitris (EL, EC)

TANNOCK, Timothy Charles Ayrton (ECR, UK)

HOHLMEIER, Monika (EPP, DE)

GUILLAUME, Sylvie (S&D, FR)

ERNST, Cornelia (The Left, DE)

BORGHEZIO, Mario (ENF, IT)

MAURA BARANDIARÁN, Fernando (ALDE, ES)

Recent terrorist attacks: extracts from the debate

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/20210103/I106289Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

External shot of the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

SOUNDBITE (French), Nicolas SCHMIT, Interim Presidency , "This fight against terrorism constitutes one of the biggest challenges we have faced in our open and democratic societies, as well as one of our main priorities. And our presidency will give it great priority. Will base our work in that of our predecessors, having in mind both the internal and the external aspects of security".

SOUNDBITE (French), Nicolas SCHMIT, Interim Presidency , "Reinforcing the implementation of the Schengen framework documents and people should be subject to a more systematic controlm based on pertinent data, on the basis of an approach based on the evaluation of risksm which has now been finalised o 15 June and will now be implemented.The practical manual on Schangen for border guards has been updated".

SOUNDBITE (French), Nicolas SCHMIT, Interim Presidency, "We have to act with determination, attacking the deep causes of this plague but avoiding the traps set up those who conduct this terrorist war against our population and our states, namely to weaken our democratic systems and our values".  

SOUNDBITE (English), Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, European Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs, "It is also relevant to note that terrorists are focusing on soft targets such as religious buildings or tourist resorts".

SOUNDBITE (English), Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, European Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs, "Preventing radicalization remains essential. The Radicalization Awareness Network (RAN) Centre of Excellence, to be launched in September, will take the work of the existing RAN further".

SOUNDBITE (English), Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, European Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs, "As of 1 July the Internet Referral Unit was established at Europol. It will be fully operational within 12 months. The mission of the Internet Referral Unit is to identify terrorist material in different languages and to help secure swift removal."

SOUNDBITE (English), Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, European Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs, "I wish to express my thanks to the parliament for your efforts in bringing to completion the EU legislation on PNR. I'm confident that we can all continue to work toghether in such a constructive way so that the co-legislators can agree on a text that is respectful of the highest standards of data protection and, at the same time, to be effective."

SOUNDBITE (German), Monika HOHLMEIER (EPP, DE), "It's people, from which one has the impression they are no different from you and me and suddenly they start to murder. I think it is fundamental to fight this phenomenon, especially to try to take them out of those circles and to try to destroy the radicalization networks."

SOUNDBITE (French), Sylvie GUILLAUME (S&amp;D, FR), "It is by rejecting psychosis and by proclaiming unity, whether national, European or international that we will fight this unprecedented phenomenon. We need common responsibility and unity in order to resist".

SOUNDBITE (English), Charles TANNOCK (ECR, UK), "We also need to have enhanced domestic security measures such as the PNR for aviation and better Internet monitoring of terrorist activities. But, ultimately, we must also take the fight against evil ISIS everywhere, particularly militarily in Syria, Iraq and Lybia."

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Fernando MAURA BARANDIAR&#193;N (ALDE, ES), "We must learn, once and for all, that the border of our security lies in the north of Africa. We can't allow ourselves to have more hot spots at the border of Southern Europe. We can't afford to lose Tunisiam because ISIL is knocking on their door, knocking on OUR door. We must reformulate the Union's Neighbourhood Policy, we must decide and act jointly, when it comes to security at our borders. We can't keep waiting to help those countries desperately in search of our support".

SOUNDBITE (German), Cornelia ERNST (GUE/NGL, DE), "And we must reflect on the deficits of our coexistence, there must be something wrong about it, when young people travel there to take part in those kinds of actions. We need to seriously try to find where our deficits lie, that's what we need to do and no passenger register system will help us at all there".   

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Mario BORGHEZIO (ENF, IT), "Nobody speaks about the correlation betwee illegal migration and terrorism but even the president of Eurojust accpets that this human traffic helps to finance and infiltrate ISIL."