The UK government must back new EU anti-terror measures announced today, and maintain them and continue to cooperate with our European partners after Brexit, Labour MEPs warned.
The proposals include: increased financial support - the Commission is providing €18.5 million (£16.5m) to support EU-wide projects improving the protection of public spaces, with a further €100m (£90m) in 2018 to support cities investing in security solutions; guidance material related to the protection of public spaces and raising public awareness; exchange of best practice; and encouraging public-private security cooperation between local and regional authorities and private operators like shopping malls, concert organisers, sports arenas and car rental companies.
The Commission is also proposing to further strengthen the EU's external action on counter-terrorism, enhancing Europol’s cooperation with third countries, and recommending the opening of negotiations for counter-terror agreements with Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey.
Claude Moraes MEP, chair of the European Parliament civil liberties, justice and home affairs committee, said:
“Today's counter-terrorism package responds to our calls for further concrete measures following recent terrorist attacks. The new actions come at a critical time and will help EU countries prevent attacks on crowded areas that we have seen in Barcelona, London, Manchester and Stockholm by protecting public spaces.
“The proposals will also introduce measures to deprive terrorists of the means to carry out these attacks by making it harder to obtain the materials for home-made explosives, providing technical support for law enforcement and judicial authorities in criminal investigations, and new measures to tackle terrorist financing.
“It is vital the UK not only supports these measures, but keeps them and continues to cooperate with our EU partners after Brexit. We need to significantly reinforce our security throughout the EU while ensuring that all measures taken are in full respect of fundamental rights and the right to data protection.”