EU Leaders gathered in Brussels in an informal EU Council meeting on the 12^th February 2015 with the fight against terrorism on the top of their agenda.

As it is known, after the attack against the French satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris in January, the EU has been reviewing its policies regarding the security of its internal and external borders. Just after the attack, Ministers of the Interior of EU Member States met in Paris and decided to speed their activities to fight against terrorism.

After the first meeting in Paris, Ministers of the Interior and of Justice of Member States met in Riga on the 29^th January 2015 and agreed on strengthening the EU’s measures in terms of the fight against terrorism. They thus determined the concrete steps that were to be taken and informed about the agenda of today’s EU Council Summit in the “Riga Joint Statement”.

EU LEADERS AIM AT GREATER COOPERATION IN INTERNAL SECURITY

In that context, it scheduled that EU leaders will discuss the following measures within the framework of the fight against terrorism:

• Formation of a PNR measure at EU level,
• Following more effectively and taking the necessary measures against the rapidly expanding wave of radicalisation through the use social media channels,
• Effective fight against the sources of financing of terrorism,
• Strengthening the international cooperation and exchange of information within the framework of the fight against terrorism.

COMMON PNR RECORD TO BRING DATA SHARING

Among the key issues that EU leaders are to tackle is the instauration of a PNR measure at EU level.

The PNR (Passenger Name Record) is a record in the database of a computer reservation system which includes information and data on passengers which are collected by flight companies whilst the former are booking flight tickets. While many EU Member States have already their own national PNR systems, current legislation does not allow the establishment of a common PNR record at EU level and at sharing data at EU and international level. As it is known, a draft proposal of the Commission which includes the establishment of a PNR record is in the agenda of the European Parliament since 2011. As for the Parliament, it has consistently been concerned as for data sharing with any Member State or furthermore with overseas countries such as the United States. Indeed, pointing out that PNR information constitute private data, it stressed the importance of safeguarding the data protection.

Nonetheless, as for the formation of a common PNR system, it would seem that the Parliament’s intransigence is softened. On the 10^th February 2015, representatives from the group of Socialists and Democrats, EPP, ALDE and ECR agreed in the formation of a European PNR system before the end of the year. As for the Greens and GUE, they continue to remain wary as for the formation of an EU wide PNR system because of concerns regarding data protection.

PREVENTION OF PARTICIPATION IN TERRORIST ORGANISATIONS IS IN THE AGENDA OF EU COUNTRIES

Among the other keys issues that are to be discussed in the critically important informal Leaders’ Summit in Brussels is the fight against radicalisation to foreign fighters. In that context, EU leaders are to discuss measures in fighting rapid spread of radicalisation, especially in social media. The measures are concerning millions of users of Twitter, Skype and Viber.

In a report that has been prepared by Eurojust and discussed at the LIBE Committee (Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs) of the European Parliament on the 5^th February 2015, it is recommended to take further steps in tackling sources of terrorism. Within the context of the fight against terror, it is stressed that measures should be taken in tackling the use of internet for terrorist purposes.

SCHENGEN BORDER CODE MAY GET MORE RIGID

In the context of the fight against terrorism, another critical topic that is in the agenda of EU leaders is hypothetical toughened measures as for the Schengen Border Code. Before the EU Council Summit, on the 10^th February 2015 at the General Affairs and External Relations Council, Ministers of Foreign Affairs of EU Member States agreed in strengthening internal security at EU level and discussed measures regarding the control of internal and external borders of the EU with the aim of a more effective fight against terrorism. In that context, a change of the Schengen Border Code rules regarding entering and exiting a territory of any EU Member State, whether by the citizens of EU Member States or by third countries is also in the agenda. Furthermore, sharing regularly and more systematically data regarding border controls with all Member States and international organisations is also to be discussed.

ECONOMY AND THE UKRAINE

Apart from the fight against terrorism, EU leaders are also scheduled to tackle issues regarding the Economic and Monetary Union and latest developments in the Ukraine.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR TURKEY?

IKV Deputy Secretary General and Research Director Melih Özsöz made the following comments regarding the EU Council Summit:

“Turkey is among the top countries in the EU’s fight against terrorism agenda. As Turkey is a key country regarding transit from EU countries to Syria, the EU is therefore calling upon strengthened cooperation with Turkey in that respect. In the context of the Paris attacks and the subsequent developments, the fight against terrorism is increasing at the forefront of the EU agenda and this affects Turkey through various channels. Indeed the impacts of this process upon Turkey’s EU membership perspective should be tackled and moreover, increasing security concerns in the EU should not be used as a reason to block Turkey’s EU accession process. As IKV, we shall share with the public our assessment of the results of the EU Council Summit”. 

As for the possible impact of these kinds of measures upon Turkish citizens that are going to Europe, IKV Deputy Secretary General and Research Director Özsöz explained the following:

“Within the scope of the EU common PNR measure, we may face an increase of the demand for data from Turkey. Besides this, potential toughened measures regarding the Schengen Border Code hold a critical importance regarding Turkey’s ongoing visa liberalisation dialogue with the EU”.

“A potential toughening of rules regarding the Schengen Border Code or the creation of a common PNR measure, is also of great importance for Turkish citizens that are faced with visa obligation whilst travelling to EU Member States since the 1980s”.

“Undoubtedly, a potential common PNR measure, the Schengen Information System (SIS), the Second generation Schengen Information System (SIS II) or the Visa Information System (VIS) of which Turkey is part since September 2014 are to be coordinated together and will support each other. Here, we can see that areas such as border management, fight against illegal migration, security and fight against terrorism are linked to one another. As for data sharing, it has a totally different dimension. Therefore, it is of critical importance for the EU to find a good balance between civil freedoms and security concerns”.