Video: https://youtu.be/eQODPy5dezc
Ladies and gentlemen,
We find ourselves here at another extraordinary meeting,
in the same way we did after the Paris attacks.
We are again here, mourning innocent victims.
The attacks of course were a shock, but unfortunately they did not come as a surprise.
Every time we come together after such attacks, we repeat ourselves.
Words and commitments mean very little if they are not acted upon, if they are not delivered.
Citizens are tired. They are scared.
I welcome that the ministers responded to my call to meet today – but I didn’t just want to talk.
Something needs to change. National security is of course the job of Member States, but the threat of terrorism is COMMON.
So should be our response – COMMON.
The Commission has taken several initiatives to support Member States.
But sometimes I fear that there is a lack of political will, lack of trust and coordination.
These horrendous attacks cannot continue to be wake-up calls forever.
We owe this to our citizens – all of them.
So what do we need to do in the coming days and weeks to prevent as much as possible this type of events to happen again?
Two essential elements:
First – Improve on our exchange of information
and Second – Put in practice what was politically agreed after previous attacks.
On information exchange:
Firstly, the European Counter-Terrorism Centre from Europol has become a reality.
We have secured additional resources for it.
Now, it is time for the EU countries to make full use of it and to share more data.
It MUST become the nerve-centre of our counter-terror strategy.
We have agreed today to set up a joint liaison team of national experts.
I urge Member States to send their experts immediately and to share information.
I have said this yesterday: We need to talk to each other, But also our systems – they also need to “talk” to each other.
We can’t put our data into black boxes!
Data must be inter-connected to be useful.
That is why in a few weeks I will present concrete ideas on how our information systems
in border management and law enforcement can be better used, interconnected and interoperated.
Political decisions were taken. Why are they not implemented?
Our existing tools are useless if they are not put to proper use.
Take for example, the explosives used in Paris and in Brussels attacks.
They were home-made.
We cannot allow terrorists to buy these substances so easily.
We have a Regulation on Explosives in place since 2013.
Why is it not fully implemented???
Other concrete examples:
• The Prüm system for police forensic data,
• The Schengen Information System,
• The Interpol databases on Stolen and Lost Travel Documents
All these remain inconsistent and full of gaps in implementation.
I called on all Ministers today to immediately start addressing this.
I said that all of us have to take our respective RESPONSIBIILITIES.
I also told Ministers that we CANNOT DRAG OUR FEET with some pending files which are CRUCIAL.
Remember from last December – our agreement on PNR?
Why is it still not in place?
Parliament has to vote to adopt it, and this has to happen NOW.
EU countries have to swiftzy use it.
We cannot wait two years to implement.
Also – other critical pieces:
• The European Border and Coast Guard proposal,
• the proposal on firearms,
• the new proposed Directive on Terrorism
These are essential files that the Commission has proposed and that are waiting to be adopted and used.
I urge EVERYBODY – especially Council and Parliament to adopt these swiftly and to maintain the high level of AMBITION from the initial proposals.
Otherwise they will be meaningless for security.
Finally, let’s not forget the perhaps soft,
but equally important aspect of root causes.
The perpetrators of the Brussels attacks,
just like the Paris attacks, were EU citizens.
These are our citizens.
Let me underline that I will continue to support Member States in their deradicalisation and inclusion efforts.
Dear all,
Terrorism will not hold us back.
To those that wish to divide us, we respond with unity, resilience and determination, as our meeting demonstrates today.
Because that is what we stand for as Europeans.