European Commission: Home Affairs

The EU Internal Security Strategy ("Towards a European Security Model") highlighted several security threats and called upon EU institutions and EU States to adopt a European internal security strategy.

The ISS in Action

"The EU Internal Security Strategy in Action", adopted in 2010, identifies five strategic objectives where the EU can bring real added value for the coming four years:

• disruption of international criminal networks
• prevention of terrorism and addressing radicalisation and recruitment
• raising the levels of security for citizens and businesses in cyberspace
• strengthening security through border management
• increasing Europe’s resilience to crises and disasters.

Each objective is also supported by a small number of measurable and concrete actions.

The ISS represents the EU's common understanding of the threats it is facing and its commitment to using all the resources and expertise available for tackling them together. It represents a shared agenda of actions for the next four years. EU States, EU institutions and EU agencies cooperate closely in implementing this strategy.

Reporting on the implementation of the ISS

The Commission annually reports on the implementation of the ISS. These reports look at the state of the EU internal security in the five objective areas identified in the ISS in Action and make operational recommendations for the way forward. Europol, together with Eurojust and Frontex, contribute to the implementation reports by establishing the state of the EU internal security.

The 2011 report highlighted that good progress has been achieved in the fight against organised crime. The Commission has tabled a proposal on the collection of Passenger Name Records (PNR) on flights entering or leaving the territory of the EU and presented packages on anti-corruption and asset recovery. Further progress needs to be made, inter alia, in the area of asset recovery and with regard to the administrative approach in the fight against serious crime. Joint investigations, including Joint Investigation Teams, have led to good results, but should be more frequent in the future.

Achievements in the field of terrorism and radicalisation include, in particular, the establishment of the European Radicalisation Awareness Network. The Communication on options towards an EU Terrorist Financing Tracking System (TFTS) is an important step towards the possible establishment of such a scheme. However, further efforts are needed, especially in relation to the freezing of terrorist assets and the improvement of land transport security.

Progress has been made towards establishing the European Cybercrime Centre, drafting guidelines on cooperation in handling illegal content online and establishing Computer Emergency Response Teams (CERTs).

In the area of border management, the establishment of Eurosur is on track, but further work is needed to improve interagency cooperation at national level.