THE NEW EU DIRECTIVE ON COMBATTING TERRORISM: A CRITICAL APPRAISAL
Keywords:
European Union, counter-terrorism, human rightsAbstract
The terrorist attacks in Paris during 2015 particularly prompted the European Commission to submit a proposal for a new Directive on combating terrorism in December 2015, which was fast – tracked and finally enacted in March 2017. The Directive aims to eliminate the possibilities for future impingement on fundamental human rights. The most important changes are the criminalization of travel of foreign terrorist fighters and curbing their finances, cyber-attacks and receiving training for terrorism. Added value represent the new rules on protection and support for the victims of terrorism. However, still some unclear wording remained which potentially leaves a leeway for the national authorities to engage in abusive practices in the practical application of the Directive. That’s why the aim of this article is to give critical appraisal of the novelties introduced by this Directive and give an assessment whether they represent a saut qualitatif vis-à-vis the situation ex ante.
References
Amnesty International. (2018). “Tweet … if you dare: How counter-terrorism laws restrict freedom of expression in Spain,” retrieved from: https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/EUR4179242018ENGLISH.PDF ( accessed 30 May 2019).
Brandon, S.E., &Silke, A.P. (2006). Near and long-term psychological effects of exposure to terrorist attacks. In: Bongar, B. Et al, Psychology of Terrorism, (pp.175-193), Oxford, Oxford University Press.
European Commission. (2019a). European Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism: European Commission statement, Brussels, 11 March 2019.
European Commission. (2019b). European Commission welcomes report on strengthening victims' rights in the European Union, Brussels, 11 March 2019.
European Parliament and Council.(2017). Directive (EU) 2017/541 of 15 March 2017 on combating terrorism. OJEU L 88.
Europol. (2018). European Union Terrorism Situation and Trend Report.
Hurley, D.(2018). Combating Terrorism and the Potential Challenges posed by EU Directive 2017/541. L&RS Note, Dublin, Houses of the Oireachtas.
Houry, N.(2017). “French Legislators Rebuked for Seeking to Criminalize Online Browsing: Court Ruled Provision Was Too Restrictive of Freedoms,” retrieved from: https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/12/15/french-legislators-rebuked-seeking-criminalize-online browsing (accessed 10.06.2019).
Paunovic, N.(2018). New EU Criminal Law Approach to Terrorist Offences, in: Duic, D. and Petrasevic, T. (eds). EU Law in Context: Adjustment to Membership and Challenges of Enlargement, Conference book of Proceedings, (pp.530-551), Osijek.
Kaunert, C. & Léonard, S. (2019). The collective securitisation of terrorism in the European Union, West European Politics, 42(2), 261-277.
Maliszewska-Nienartowicz, J. (2017). A New Chapter in the EU Counterterrorism Policy? The Main Changes Introduced by the Directive 2017/541 on Combating Terrorism. Polish Yearbook of International Law, Vol. 37, 185-201.
Miller, L.(2002). “Psychological Interventions for terroristic trauma: symptoms, syndromes and treatment.” Psychotherapy: Theory/Research/Practice/Training, 39(4), 283-296.
Murphy, C.(2016).” The Draft EU Directive on Combating Terrorism: Much Ado about What?,” retreived from: http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-draft-eu-directive-on-combating.html
Paulussen & Pitcher. (2018). “Prosecuting (Potential) Foreign Fighters: Legislative and Practical Challenges” ICCT Research paper.
Report by the Special Counsel Milquet (2019): Strengthening victims' rights: from compensation to reparation: For a new EU Victims’ rights strategy 2020-2025, retrieved from: https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/strengthening victims_ rights__ from_ compensation_to_reparation.pdf (accessed 11.06.2019).
Roson, M.(2018). “Belgium Constitutional Court decision on the concept of incitement to terrorism”, retrieved from: https://edri.org/ (accessed 10.06.2018)
Scheinin, M. (2019). “EU Regulation on Terrorist Content: an Emperor without Clothes”, VerfBlog, retrieved from: https://verfassungsblog.de/the-eu-regulation-on-terrorist-content-an-emperor-without-clothes/
Scherrer, A. (ed.) (2018).”The return of foreign fighters to EU soil: Ex-post evaluation”, European Parliamentary Research Service, retrieved from: https://antiterrorisme-droits-libertes.org/IMG/pdf/the_return_of_foreign_fighters_on_soil.pdf (accessed 30.05.2019).
Steiger, I.(2010). Access to Justice and Administration of Justice. In: Letschert, R., Staiger, I., Pemberton, A., (eds), Assisting Victims of Terrorism: Towards a European Standard of Justice, Springer.
Van Ginkel, B. & Entenmann, E. (eds.) (2016). The Foreign Fighters Phenomenon in the European Union. Profiles, Threats & Policies’'. The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, The Hague.
Wensink, W.(2017). “The European Union Policies on Counter-Terrorism: Relevance, Coherence and Effectiveness,” Study for the LIBE Committee, European Parliament, Brussels.
Brandon, S.E., &Silke, A.P. (2006). Near and long-term psychological effects of exposure to terrorist attacks. In: Bongar, B. Et al, Psychology of Terrorism, (pp.175-193), Oxford, Oxford University Press.
European Commission. (2019a). European Remembrance Day for Victims of Terrorism: European Commission statement, Brussels, 11 March 2019.
European Commission. (2019b). European Commission welcomes report on strengthening victims' rights in the European Union, Brussels, 11 March 2019.
European Parliament and Council.(2017). Directive (EU) 2017/541 of 15 March 2017 on combating terrorism. OJEU L 88.
Europol. (2018). European Union Terrorism Situation and Trend Report.
Hurley, D.(2018). Combating Terrorism and the Potential Challenges posed by EU Directive 2017/541. L&RS Note, Dublin, Houses of the Oireachtas.
Houry, N.(2017). “French Legislators Rebuked for Seeking to Criminalize Online Browsing: Court Ruled Provision Was Too Restrictive of Freedoms,” retrieved from: https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/12/15/french-legislators-rebuked-seeking-criminalize-online browsing (accessed 10.06.2019).
Paunovic, N.(2018). New EU Criminal Law Approach to Terrorist Offences, in: Duic, D. and Petrasevic, T. (eds). EU Law in Context: Adjustment to Membership and Challenges of Enlargement, Conference book of Proceedings, (pp.530-551), Osijek.
Kaunert, C. & Léonard, S. (2019). The collective securitisation of terrorism in the European Union, West European Politics, 42(2), 261-277.
Maliszewska-Nienartowicz, J. (2017). A New Chapter in the EU Counterterrorism Policy? The Main Changes Introduced by the Directive 2017/541 on Combating Terrorism. Polish Yearbook of International Law, Vol. 37, 185-201.
Miller, L.(2002). “Psychological Interventions for terroristic trauma: symptoms, syndromes and treatment.” Psychotherapy: Theory/Research/Practice/Training, 39(4), 283-296.
Murphy, C.(2016).” The Draft EU Directive on Combating Terrorism: Much Ado about What?,” retreived from: http://eulawanalysis.blogspot.com/2016/01/the-draft-eu-directive-on-combating.html
Paulussen & Pitcher. (2018). “Prosecuting (Potential) Foreign Fighters: Legislative and Practical Challenges” ICCT Research paper.
Report by the Special Counsel Milquet (2019): Strengthening victims' rights: from compensation to reparation: For a new EU Victims’ rights strategy 2020-2025, retrieved from: https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/strengthening victims_ rights__ from_ compensation_to_reparation.pdf (accessed 11.06.2019).
Roson, M.(2018). “Belgium Constitutional Court decision on the concept of incitement to terrorism”, retrieved from: https://edri.org/ (accessed 10.06.2018)
Scheinin, M. (2019). “EU Regulation on Terrorist Content: an Emperor without Clothes”, VerfBlog, retrieved from: https://verfassungsblog.de/the-eu-regulation-on-terrorist-content-an-emperor-without-clothes/
Scherrer, A. (ed.) (2018).”The return of foreign fighters to EU soil: Ex-post evaluation”, European Parliamentary Research Service, retrieved from: https://antiterrorisme-droits-libertes.org/IMG/pdf/the_return_of_foreign_fighters_on_soil.pdf (accessed 30.05.2019).
Steiger, I.(2010). Access to Justice and Administration of Justice. In: Letschert, R., Staiger, I., Pemberton, A., (eds), Assisting Victims of Terrorism: Towards a European Standard of Justice, Springer.
Van Ginkel, B. & Entenmann, E. (eds.) (2016). The Foreign Fighters Phenomenon in the European Union. Profiles, Threats & Policies’'. The International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, The Hague.
Wensink, W.(2017). “The European Union Policies on Counter-Terrorism: Relevance, Coherence and Effectiveness,” Study for the LIBE Committee, European Parliament, Brussels.
Downloads
Published
2020-07-14
Issue
Section
Contemporary Security Challenges
