The video conference on the fight against terrorism and on the next steps in the fight against terrorism was attended by European Council President Charles Michel, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen . “The attacks in France and Austria show that we must fight terrorism relentlessly. We will strengthen cooperation. Together we are stronger, ” von der Leynen wrote when announcing the event. As part of the fight against Islamic extremists, Merkel and Macron called for reform of the Schengen area. All EU leaders aim to increase cooperation between Member States in the fight against terrorism through common databases and greater exchange of information.
The leaders of European countries and the EU met after the recent terrorist attacks in Paris, Nice, Vienna and Dresden to find a common answer to the danger posed by Islamic extremists. The talks focused on the reform of the Schengen area, which enables the free movement of goods and people within the EU. “The attacks in France and Austria show that we must fight terrorism relentlessly. We will strengthen cooperation. Together we are stronger,” European Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen wrote, announcing the event, which was initiated by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and French President Emmanuel Macron.
“Terrorism is a European reality to which we must ensure a common, coordinated and rapid response. We did that today,” said Macron, who stressed, among other things, that the right to asylum is intended for those who are fighting for freedoms. “It is not about restricting or abolishing the right to asylum, but it does need to be exercised properly,” he said. Macron discussed several security proposals, such as a thorough revision of the rules for the Schengen area, which ensures the free movement of people across the border, but he placed twice as many guards on the borders with France to control migration and human trafficking. According to him, Europe should focus on “developing common databases, exchanging information or strengthening criminal policy.”
Macron with a new law against “Islamic separatism”
In response to the attacks in France, Macron announced the suppression of what he calls “Islamic separatism,” and said Islamists in France had created a parallel culture that rejects French values, customs, and laws. The new bill is aimed at people who promote extremism. By passing the law, they are trying to prevent children from dropping out of school, fighting the financing of terrorism and reforming their housing and education policies to try to empower those without civil rights.
The Austrian chancellor is in favour of a stricter treatment of radicalized Islamists
“We must take strict action against Islamist threats and basic ideology and adequately secure the EU’s external borders,” said Austrian Chancellor Kurz, who responded to Macron’s invitation in France, where the conference was initiated. At today’s meeting, Kurz called for stricter treatment of radicalized Islamists returning to Europe from abroad. He is convinced that the police should have more powers to control these people, even when they leaves prisons. He pointed out that thousands of foreign Islamist fighters had returned to the EU countries and described them as “ticking time bombs”. “If we want to protect the freedom of all, we must restrict the freedom of these people,” he added.
Von der Leyen drew attention to the level of freedom in Europe. “Our European Union is an incredible area of freedom. But we can only defend this freedom if the EU is safe,” she said. She also announced that a strategy for Schengen reform would be presented in Brussels in May next year. Von der Leyen added that we should be more active in Europe in preventing the radicalization of potential attackers. An integration action plan on the subject will be presented in Brussels by the end of the month.
Terrorism needs to be removed
German Chancellor Angela Merkel also spoke at the conference. “The Islamist attacks on Paris, Nice, Vienna and Dresden were attacks on our free society. We oppose them with our strong advocacy of free and democratic fundamental order,” Merkel told her EU counterparts regarding the fight against terrorism. “We don’t have to prepare for more control,” she added. As Merkel explained, they were primarily in favour of a better control at the European Union’s external borders and random control within Schengen. “I would like to mention the entry-exit system in the Schengen area, which should be ready in 2022,” she said, explaining that it is essential to know who is entering and who is leaving the Schengen area.
European Council President Charles Michel has called for the establishment of a new EU body to oversee the training of imams and ensure that their followers do not contribute to the spread of “hate ideology”. “To combat the ideology of hatred, we need to set up a European institute for the training of imams in Europe as soon as possible,” Michel said. “Online messages glorifying terrorism need to be removed quickly. Terrorists and those who praised them on the Internet must not go unpunished,” he added. Merkel, Macron and other leaders agree that online hate must be combated.
