EU Gets Tough on Terror

The March 11 train attacks in Madrid, which killed some 200 people in Europe's worst act of terror in over a decade, have rocketed terrorism to the top of the EU's agenda, surpassing all talk of budgets and constitutions. Meeting in Brussels on Monday, foreign ministers for the 25 current and soon-to-be EU members made it clear the bloc aims to get tough on terror.

"It is vital to boost coordination, both within the EU and with third parties," the foreign ministers agreed, confirming they had approved measures already debated by interior ministers in hastily-convened talks last Friday.

Tough talk

But Monday's statements went beyond just rhetoric. In an uncharacteristic move linking trade and aid with political compliance, the foreign ministers warned partner countries outside the bloc that their economic relations with the EU would suffer if they failed to cooperate in the fight against terrorism.

The ministers referred to the fight against terror as "a key element of political dialogue" with non-EU countries, including those in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Those whose cooperation in fighting terrorism was deemed insufficient would risk loosing aid and trade with the economically powerful EU, the ministers wrote in a draft declaration on terrorism after the meeting.

To some extent, the Europeans have already begun implementing the tough talk by suspending free-trade negotiations with Iran until the government comes clean on its nuclear weapons program. And an impending aid and trade deal with Syria hinges on Damascus accepting an anti-terrorism clause.

The new political strategy was just one in a list of measures to be presented to heads of government at a two-day summit on security starting this Thursday.

No room to compromise

In another move demonstrating Brussels get-tough stance, the ministers adopted NATO-style language committing all member states to provide military and other assistance to fellow EU countries that suffer a terrorist attack.

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin justified the measures saying terrorism is "a menace that affects us all" and that there could be "no compromising. We have to show solidarity."

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the ministers had set a June 30 deadline for all EU nations -- current and soon-to-be -- to enact a series of anti-terrorist laws.

"What we need is action. The problem for the European Union is that we can only go at the pace of the slowest. Therefore, there is a special responsibility on the countries which have failed so far implementing measures to get moving," Straw said at a press conference after the meeting.

Creating an anti-terror czar

The foreign ministers also approved stronger financial measures to enable member states to freeze the assets of suspected terrorist groups in Europe.

They seconded proposals put forth by interior ministers last Friday, including the creation of a central authority to coordinate security strategy. The creation of an EU anti-terror czar is seen as a step towards creating more cross-border exchanges of information To this end, the foreign ministers endorsed an initiative to enhance cooperation among police and intelligence services across the continent and to strengthen Europol by expanding its field of responsibility to include an anti-terror department.

In a gesture towards Washington, which has only warmly greeted Europe's efforts to crack down on terrorism, the ministers agreed to push forward plans to introduce biometric data in passports by 2006, instead of the initially scheduled 2007.