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

On 20 April, European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kövesi will present the results of the first seven months of the EPPO’s operations to the Budget Control and Civil Liberties committees.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) is the new independent public prosecution office of the European Union. It is responsible for investigating, prosecuting and bringing to judgment crimes against the financial interests of the EU.

These include several types of fraud, VAT fraud with damages above 10 million euro, money laundering, corruption, etc. The EPPO undertakes investigations, carries out acts of prosecution and exercises the function of prosecutor in the competent courts of the participating Member States, until the case has been settled.

Before only national authorities could investigated and prosecuted these crimes, but their powers stopped at the borders of their country. Organisations like Eurojust, OLAF and Europol do not have the necessary powers to carry out such criminal investigations and prosecutions.

The European Public Prosecutor’s Office is composed of two levels: the central level and the decentralised (national) level. The central level, with its headquarters in Luxembourg, consists of: the European Chief Prosecutor; 22 European Prosecutors (one per participating EU country), two of whom function as Deputies for the European Chief Prosecutor; and the Administrative Director. The decentralised level consists of the European Delegated Prosecutors (EDPs) in the 22 participating EU Member States.

The central level supervises the investigations and prosecutions carried out by the EDPs at the national level, which operate with complete independence from their national authorities. The EPPO officially started its operational activities on 1 June 2021

European Public Prosecutor's Office - EPPO

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)

EP Plenary session - Joint debate - Judicial cooperation

Threats to the safety of journalists and media freedom, on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day (debate)

Artificial intelligence in a digital age (debate)

Resumption of the sitting

This is Europe - Debate with the Prime Minister of Italy, Mario Draghi (debate)

Ongoing hearings under Article 7(1) TEU regarding Poland and Hungary (debate)

Voting time

Approval of the minutes of the previous sitting

Question Time (Commission) Europe’s Energy Autonomy: The strategic importance of renewables and energy interconnections and efficiency

The follow up of the Conference on the Future of Europe (debate) (debate)

Delegated acts (Rule 111(6)) (action taken): see Minutes

EU preparedness against cyber-attacks following Russia invasion on Ukraine

Impact of Russian illegal war of aggression against Ukraine on the EU transport and tourism sectors (debate)

Strengthening Europol’s mandate: cooperation with private parties, processing of personal data, and support for research and innovation (debate)

Explanations of vote

Agenda of the next sitting

Closure of the sitting

Plenary session

9th Meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group (JPSG) on Europol

LIBE

Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) - 8th meeting

Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) - 8th meeting - Part 2

Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) - 8th meeting - Part 1

Press conference on JPA Scrutiny Group on Europol

European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) - European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS): Europol tasks (debate)

Europol data breach on terrorism investigation files (debate)

EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) (debate)

Strategic cooperation in the fight against serious crime and terrorism between the United Arab Emirates and Europol (short presentation)

European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation and Training (Europol) (debate)

Press Conference: Sonia ALFANO, chair of the special committee on organised crime, Salvatore IACOLINO, Julian NEWMAN - Environmental Investigation Agency, Chris VANSTEENKISTE - Europol, Thierry HENNE - Olaf

European Crime Prevention Network (EUCPN) - Rules on the confidentiality of Europol information - Implementing rules governing Europol's relations with partners, including the exchange of personal data and classified information - List of third States and organisations for Europol agreements - Implementing rules for Europol analysis work files - Accreditation of forensic laboratory activities (debate)

LIBE - 13th meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group on Europol -Exchange of views with Mr. Alfredo NUNZI, Head of the Institutional and Legal Affairs Department of Europol

11th meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group on Europol - Meeting of the Presidential troika

EP Plenary session - Voting session

EP Plenary session - Strenghtening Europol's mandate

Civil Liberties Committee (LIBE) delegation in Greece, November 2-4, 2021

LIBE mission to Greece - Briefing meeting with European Commission, Frontex, EASO, FRA, Europol in the EP office in Athens, Greece, November 2, 2021

LIBE Committe - 9th meeting of the JPSG on the European Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL)

LIBE Committee - 9th meeting of the JPSG on the European Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (EUROPOL)

Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group  on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol)

Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol)- Boris PISTORIUS, German Minister of Interior for Lower Saxony

Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol)

5th meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group (JPSG) on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol)

3rd meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group on Europol- Keynote speech by the Commissioner in charge of Security Union

AFCO Public hearing  - Institutional structure and governance of existing forms of enhanced cooperation

3rd meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group on Europol- Presentation of JPSG priorities by Presidential Troika 2018-2019

3rd meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Scrutiny Group on Europol

MEPs vote on the following topics: EU/New Zealand Agreement - exchange of personal data between Europol and New Zealand; Convention on Cybercrime on enhanced co-operation and disclosure of electronic evidence - Second Additional Protocol; Defence of privileges and immunity and Rule 9 on procedures on immunity

Voting session, including the Shipments of waste and the Defence of privileges and immunity and Rule 9 on procedures on immunity

MEPs vote on the EU/New Zealand Agreement: exchange of personal data between Europol and New Zealand - Annalisa TARDINO (ID, IT) and on the Motion for a resolution - Digital divide: the social differences created by digitalization.

Voting session (part 2)

MEPs vote on Strengthening Europol’s mandate: entry of alerts in SIS - Javier ZARZALEJOS (EPP, ES); zaskun Bilbao Barandica (PECH A9-0148/2022) - EU/Mauritania Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement and Implementing Protocol - Izaskun BILBAO BARANDICA (Renew,ES)

Voting session: strengthening Europol’s mandate, entry of alerts in SIS and EU/Mauritania Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement and Implementing Protocol

Exchange of views at the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs on the case of death of Slovak citizen Mr Jozef Chovanec with Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justice, Catherine De Bolle, Executive Director of Europol, Detlef Schröder, Executive Director of CEPO and a representative of the International Federation for Human Rights.

Exchange of views on the case of death of Slovak citizen Mr Jozef Chovanec - LIBE Committee: opening statements

Members of the EP Committee Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE), participate in a exchange of views on the current situation in Greek islands in the European Parliament, in Brussels. Memorandum of Understanding between the European Commission, the European Asylum Support Office, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Europol and the Fundamental Rights Agency, of the one part, and the Government of the Hellenic Republic, of the other part, on a Joint Pilot for the establishment and operation of a new Multi-Purpose Reception and Identification Centre on Lesvos. Closing presentation by Beate GMINDER, Deputy Director-General in charge of the “Task Force Migration Management”, DG Migration and Home Affairs of the EC, and closing statement by Spyros-Vlad OIKONOMOU, Greek Council for Refugees.

Exchange of views on the current situation in Greek islands and Memorandum of Understanding in LIBE Committee

Exchange of views on the case of death of Slovak citizen Mr Jozef Chovanec - LIBE Committee: questions/answers with MEPs

Members voted not to start negotiations on the update of copyright rules, and will debate and vote them in September's plenary session. The EP approved a new defence fund,strengthened cooperation between Europol and eight countries in North Africa and the Middle East and referred back to the Transport Committee for reconsideration the proposals on the lorry drivers.

From copyright to defence: 5 numbers to take away from Strasbourg

Catherine DE BOLLE, selected candidate for the post of Executive Director of Europol, participates in the exchange of views during the hearing organised by the EP Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.

Hearing of the candidate for the post of Europol Executive Director: extracts from the exchange of views in LIBE with Catherine DE BOLLE, selected candidate for the post of Executive Director of Europol

Today the EU faces the threat of terrorism. Everyone can agree that security should be a top priority. Organisations such as Europol combat terrorism, while others like Fenvac take care of the victims' families. Improving border systems, increasing communications between Member States and criminalising acts associated with terrorism are a few examples of the steps the EU is taking this year.

Common goals: Security

Meeting of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs&nbsp;in the EP in Brussels. Presentation by Rob WAINWRIGHT, Director of Europol EP on Europol data breach on terrorism investigation files, and statementsby Iratxe GARCIA PEREZ (S&amp;D, ES), Juan Fernando LOPEZ AGUILAR (S&amp;D, ES), Sophia IN'T VELD,&nbsp; Carlos COELHO (EPP, PT) and Ana GOMES (S&amp;D, PT).&nbsp;

Europol data breach on terrorism investigation files: presentation by Rob WAINWRIGHT, Director of Europol

Live replay of EP Plenary session - Key debate State of the Union 2016 I-125464 // European Parliament and Commission, Strasbourg, EP Plenary session, Hemicycle #SOTEU - On the fight against terrorism - On the border and coast guard improvement - On the reinforcement of Frontex and Europol - On the external policy of the EU - On the negotiations of the Syrian conflict - On the reinforcement of the European defense

(7) EP Plenary session: State of the Union 2016 - statement by Jean-Claude JUNCKER, President of the EC. Speech Jean-Claude JUNCKER (French) (9:40 - 9:49)

Mixed assessment of Greece's progress, calls for new powers for Europol, and to be or not be a market economy - that's the question for China.

May Plenary Zapping: Schengen under threat, Europol, Turkey

Lex signing ceremony by Martin SCHULZ, EP President and by Jeanine HENNIS-PLASSCHAERT, EU Presidency, during the EP plenary session (9-12 May 2016) in Strasbourg. Signing of the regulation on the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) - Signing of the Directive on procedural safeguards for children suspected or accused in criminal proceedings.&nbsp;- Signing of the Directive on the conditions of entry and residence of third-country nationals for the purposes of research, studies, pupil exchange, remunerated and unremunerated training, voluntary service and au pairing. - Signing of three Directives on the interoperability of the rail system within the European Union and on railway safety (4th railway package). - Signing of the Regulation on harmonised indices of consumer prices and repealing. - Signing of the Regulation on the aid scheme for the supply of fruit and vegetables, bananas and milk in the educational establishments.&nbsp;

Lex signing ceremony by Martin SCHULZ, EP President and by Jeanine HENNIS-PLASSCHAERT, Dutch Presidency of the Council of the EU

Debate on the EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol), during the EP plenary session (09-12 May 2016) in Strasbourg. Statements by Agust&iacute;n DIAZ DE MERA GARCIA CONSUEGRA (EPP, ES), Rappoteur, Dimitris AVRAMOPOULOS, Member of the EC in charge of Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Milan ZVER (EPP, SI),&nbsp; Josef WEIDENHOLZER (S&amp;D, AU), Timothy KIRKHOPE (ECR, UK), Morten Helveg PETERSEN (ALDE, DK), Josep-Maria TERRICABRAS (Greens/EFA, ES).

EU Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol): extracts from the debate

New rules seek to increase police cooperation and information sharing for more effective counter terrorism in Europe.

Europol: New powers to fight terrorism

The May Plenary will see MEPs vote on proposals for a new EU policy for managing asylum, counter-terrorism powers for Europol, and to extend food origin labelling to milk.

On the Agenda: Asylum, Counter-terrorism, Food labelling

Meeting of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs with representatives of Europol, the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) and "Missing Children Europe", on 10.000 migrant children missing, in the EP in Brussels. Statement by Dietrich NEUMANN, Head of Corporate Services at Europol, Georgia DIMITROPOULOU, representative of European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, Delphine MORALIS, Secretary General of Missing Children Europe, Anna Maria CORAZZA BILDT (EPP, SE), Ana GOMES (S&amp;D, PT), Jean LAMBERT (Greens/EFA, UK), Marie-Christine VERGIAT (GUE/NGL, FR).&nbsp;

Europol statement on 10.000 migrant children missing: extracts from the exchange of views with representatives of Europol, the Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) and "Missing Children Europe"

MEPs endorsed proposals to strengthen Europol's mandate, discussed ways to protect Christians from persecution, and welcomed the Commission's Circular Economy package.

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