ProtectEU: Agenda to prevent and counter terrorism - Related Opinions

The Communication on “No place for hate: a Europe united against hatred” is a response to growing hatred against ethnic minorities. A number of policies, including in the area of security, digital, education, culture and sport, will see reinforced action. The EESC calls for a more comprehensive partnership with CSOs, awareness-raising campaigns, and for politicians to avoid language promoting hated. It calls on better prosecution of hate crimes, reporting mechanism, and training for law enforcement agencies to handle such cases properly, with due respect for the victims. It calls for increased action both off- and online, and that online platforms prevent their algorithms from amplifying hate. 

The EESC welcomes the Commission proposal on preventing the dissemination of terrorist content online, while calling for the indeterminate legal concepts such as "terrorist information, terrorist acts, terrorist groups or advocacy of terrorism" to be defined as precisely as possible. The EESC highlights the need to assess the effects of the application of this proposal on SMEs, as well as to consider transition arrangements facilitating their adaptation and a level playing field.

The opinion deals with the prevention of "radicalisation" of young people. For the purpose of this opinion, radicalisation is understood as a process through which individuals or groups become extremists eventually using, promoting or advocating violence for their aims. The opinion highlights activities undertaken by civil society and calls for continuing to work on a coherent EU-concept, including sustainable and effective European support, funding and coordination.

The opinion concerns two EC proposals, implementing the European Security Agenda: the proposal for a directive on combatting terrorism and the action plan against trafficking in firearms and explosives. The opinion is based on previous EESC work and its usual focus on protection of fundamental rights. The main conclusions concern the common policy against terrorism and the shared competence of the EU and the Member States, as well as the definitions of terrorist acts and types of them, terminology, the issue of anticipated crime and other risks of collision between security and human rights.