EU Terrorism Plan: European Governments, not the European Union, must Tackle the Terrorism Threat
Brussels: November 6th 2007 -- Reacting to the European Commission's proposal announced today to create a new EU terrorism policy, Timothy Kirkhope MEP, Conservative Leader in the European Parliament urged the EU to abandon the attempt to harmonise member states' law and, instead, improve cooperation between governments.
The package of proposals will consist of:
An EU Action Plan on the security of explosives in order to increase the traceability of explosives in the EU;
An amendment to the Framework Decision on Terrorism which will outlaw public provocation to commit terrorist offences throughout the EU and especially deal with use of internet for terrorist purposes;
A European Passenger Name Record (PNR) requiring all EU 27 member states to have an air passenger information storage system which their security services would be able to access.
Mr Kirkhope said:
"Conservatives oppose a single EU terrorism law. What is needed is what will bring practical results, not idealised theoretical structures. For this reason today's dream of a Euro-Home Office is a sideshow that is not just self-defeating, but is ultimately harmful if it stifles effective cooperation between the member states.
"Mutual recognition of our differing legal traditions not harmonisation is the way forward in an EU of 27 member states."
ENDS
