The terrorist attacks committed yesterday in Turkey and the Ivory Coast was another reminder of the imminent threat we face from terrorism. The European Union and its key strategic partners are united in our resolve to fight terrorism in all its aspects and all its manifestations. As European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, I unequivocally condemn and deplore these heinous attacks on innocent citizens, and would like to offer my sincere condolences to the families of the victims and express my solidarity with the people of Turkey and the Ivory Coast.
Our steadfast commitment to our common fight against terrorism is a small token of Europe’s solidarity for the victims and their families. In recent months we have demonstrated our resolve with concrete and coordinated action, and we plan to step up our actions even further. Since the end of last year, our concerted efforts produced an agreement for the exchange of PNR data, a proposal for the horizontal criminalisation of acts of terrorism across the Union, stronger rules for firearms, and a better legal framework for Europol to conduct its counter-terrorism work. We will not stop here. In 2016, we will redouble our efforts to combat terrorism financing, we will improve information exchange between EU Member States and we will further reinforce security at our common external borders.
In the midst of other pressing challenges, our commitment to fight terrorism remains a priority. Terrorism knows no borders, and the only way for us to prevent and defeat this atrocious crime, is to continue working together.