Report: Special Meeting of the European Commission Following London Attacks http://www.contingencyplanning.com/archives/2005/aug/1.aspx?ebid=469 An extraordinary meeting of the European Commission's Justice and Home Affairs Council occurred on July 13, 2005 to discuss European security following the terrorist attacks in London on 7th July. Among the actions agreed were a Europe-wide critical infrastructure protection program and plans for EU Member States to undertake regular joint counter-terrorism exercises to test resilience. Following are highlights of the meeting. The Council of the European Union: Condemns the terrorist attacks on London. It sends its profound condolences to the victims and their families. It stands united in solidarity as it did after the attacks on Madrid last year, and is absolutely determined that the terrorists will not succeed. Considers that the attacks are an affront to universal values on which the European Union is based. Central to those values is a commitment to democratic and open institutions and societies governed by the rule of law within which people of all faiths and backgrounds can live, work and prosper together. Strengthens its commitment to combating terrorism and upholding the fundamental principles of freedom, security and justice. Working with the EU Counterterrorism Coordinator, the European Commission and the European Parliament, the Council will accelerate implementation of the EU Action Plan on Combating Terrorism and other existing commitments. Declares that its immediate priority is to build on the existing strong EU framework for pursuing and investigating terrorists across borders, in order to impede terrorists' planning, disrupt supporting networks, cut off any funding and bring terrorists to justice. Agrees by December 2005 to establish an EU Strategy for preventing people from turning to terrorism by addressing the factors that contribute to creation and recruitment to terrorist groups. Stresses the need to reduce vulnerability to attack by protecting citizens and infrastructure. Highlights the importance of improving our ability to manage and minimize the consequences of terrorist attacks. Restates the importance of solidarity and support to the victims of terrorism, including by making funds available to victims and their families. Emphasizes that this is a worldwide agenda in which the EU and Member States will continue to support the key role of the United Nations to reach agreement on the Comprehensive Convention against Terrorism at the UN Summit in September 2005 Will continue to assess, in the light of the brutal and tragic incidents in London, whether further measures are necessary at the European level. The Council will: Support the Framework Decisions on the Retention of Telecommunications Data (October 2005), and the exchange of information between law enforcement authorities (December 2005); and adopt the Decision on the exchange of information concerning terrorist offences (September 2005); Combat terrorist financing by: agreeing by December 2005 a Regulation on Wire Transfers; adopting the Third Money Laundering Directive and the Regulation on Cash Control by September 2005; and agreeing on a Code of Conduct to prevent the misuse of charities by terrorists (December 2005). In addition, the Council urges Member States to: Intensify the exchange of police and judicial information through Europol (and its Counterterrorist Task Force) and Eurojust, and improve support from Member States' security and intelligence services to the EU Situation Centre; Improve information sharing on lost and stolen explosives, including by drawing on the Commission's forthcoming communication on explosives. Implement recommendations from the peer evaluation process to improve national counterterrorism arrangements and capabilities. The Council calls on the Commission to: Present proposals on data protection principles in the field of law enforcement and bring forward communications on enhanced interaction among the VIS, SIS II and EURODAC Encourage Member States to agree on common standards for security features and secure issuing procedures for ID cards (December 2005) Protect external borders and internal security by sharing visa information via the Visa Information System (VIS) and law-enforcement information via the second generation of the Schengen Information System (SIS) Prioritize the rollout of biometric authentication technology Revise and reinforce common standards on aviation security (end 2005) Urge Member States to implement agreed EU standards on maritime security and security at ports Agree on a European Program to protect critical infrastructures, including road and rail transport, by the end of 2005 Bring forward the proposal on air line passenger name records by October 2005 The Council invites: Member States to undertake regular joint counterterrorism exercises to test resilience The EU Counterterrorism Coordinator and the Commission to report by December 2005 on the development of emergency response capabilities and information sharing arrangements Source: www.continuitycentral.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> <font face=arial size=-1><a href="http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12ko7emhm/M=362329.6886305.7839473.1589681 /D=grphealth/S=1705061161:TM/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1123633663/A=2894322/R=0/SIG=11hnli 5rs/*http://www.youthnoise.com/page.php?page_id=1997";>AIDS in India: A "lurking bomb." Click and help stop AIDS now</a>.</font> --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DailyBrief to create/modify your profile, adjust your delivery and other settings, and to view archived messages. Yahoo! Groups Links ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> <font face=arial size=-1><a href="http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12h2luqcu/M=362329.6886306.7839369.3040540/D=groups/S=1705323667:TM/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1123634697/A=2894321/R=0/SIG=11dvsfulr/*http://youthnoise.com/page.php?page_id=1992 ">Fair play? Video games influencing politics. Click and talk back!</a>.</font> --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
