Baltic States – CIS, EU – Baltic States, Legislation, Security, Transport

Fragmentation in EU-28 security efforts makes approaches to the pan-European security vulnerable. The Commission has been working towards a more coordinated policy with more solidarity and unity among the EU member states. The concept is clear: only together, by collective security efforts the member states can overcome present threats.

In the wake of attacks that have shook in recent years several member states’ capitals – Brussels, Madrid, London, Copenhagen and Paris, the EU has to move towards a genuine Security Union.

From national to EU’s security

Although it is the responsibility of the EU member states to ensuring the security of their citizens, transnational threats go beyond national security and make the internal security of one member state an issue of the whole Union’s security.

Presently dominating fragmentation makes the EU security policy vulnerable; such fragmentation is seen in legal instruments, in operational methods and in governments’ mind-sets, preventing effective approaches to terrorism threats.

Hence, there is a need for change in the mentality of national authorities towards the security forces’ structures, as well as to sharing relevant information over the borders.

The Commission is setting out a roadmap towards a Security Union, which was initially suggested in the European Agenda on Security in spring 2015.

Some legislative initiatives are still under discussion in the European Parliament and in the Council, e.g. the so-called PNR, the Passenger Name Record: the EU PNR Directive reached an overwhelming majority in the European Parliament and the Council has just formally adopted it.  

Another initiative is Europol's counter terrorism centre, which was launched in January 2016; and this autumn comes other initiatives aimed at strengthening the work of Europol and upgrading the centre.

There are some other “union’s” strategy elements: key information sharing tools and legislation at European level, which are not progressing fast enough. For example, Commission's proposals on criminalising and sanctioning terrorism and on regulating firearms are still under discussion, as well as other proposals, like the proposal on explosives, which though adopted but not implemented. The Commission is working on radicalisation, on prevention measures and on social inclusion: here the security-focused approach is essential; there is a need for consistently monitoring those people who are identified as radicalised individuals and to share this information with other states and EU agencies.

More active measures

First, coordinative actions: EU states continue to suffer from gaps in information-sharing and the whole EU approach on information-sharing needs structural rethinking. Without information-sharing it’s impossible to combat terrorism: cross national cooperation and trust is needed. Above examples show the need for a culture change in law enforcement and counter-terrorism.

The new approach should be outward looking too: the EU has to continue working with key third countries, such as Turkey, Western Balkans and Middle East in fighting the threat of global terrorism.

The Justice and Home Affairs Council will meet in Luxembourg to discuss with the EU-28 ministers the cooperative measures to achieve a genuine Security Union.

Second, migration in which fragmentation of efforts makes the whole policy vulnerable: the EU can only effectively address the refugee crisis by working in concert, with each other and with third country partners, like Turkey. The unity emerged only when 28 EU Heads of State and/or Government collectively reached an agreement with Turkey to break the cruel business models of smugglers, by ending the irregular migration from Turkey to the EU and replacing it instead with legal channels of resettlement of refugees to the EU states.

The Commission published a first report on the implementation of the EU-Turkey agreement and some progress has been already made through joint efforts of Greek and Turkish authorities, the Commission, the EU states and agencies, as well as international organisations and NGOs.

As a result, there is already a sharp drop in the number of people crossing irregularly the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece, thus hitting activities of smugglers in the area.

Refugee return operations have started from the Greek islands to Turkey, in parallel with resettlement flights directly from Turkey to EU states. Greek authorities have put in place all the necessary legal and operational arrangements. Turkey has provided the necessary legal assurances for Syrians, and Turkish authorities would provide guarantees for non-Syrians needed protection. EASO and FRONTEX are already providing substantial additional support to the Greek authorities in the islands. 

Commission has stepped up implementation of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey to improve conditions for refugees.

Existing problems and future actions

At the same time, Commission has acknowledged that the work towards security union was in its beginning: improving conditions for migrants in the islands is a top priority and there is active cooperation with the Greek authorities.  

The Commission already awarded €30 million to the Greek army to improve conditions; other €83 million is available under the new Emergency Assistance Instrument that will go to NGOs working to improve living conditions for refugees in Greece. NGOs and international organisations are going to be active partners in these efforts.

Another crucial element is stepping up relocations: for example recently 56 persons were relocated from Greece to France, 42 persons from Greece to the Netherlands, some also in the Baltic States; but these numbers shall increase to an average of 6,000 per month.

Around 70% of the more than 50,000 people currently in Greece are eligible for relocation: Greece needs to step up efforts to improve their conditions and other EU states need to help by stepping up relocation and resettlement efforts.

Further efforts are also required from Turkey, which needs to take the necessary measures to fulfill the remaining benchmarks of the visa liberalisation roadmap by the end of April, with a view to lifting the visa requirements for Turkish citizens at the latest by the end of June 2016.

President Juncker mentioned that no visa liberalisation can be offered if not all benchmarks are met and the Commission will present its third visa liberalisation progress report for Turkey on 4 May. However, the EU and the member states need to remain alert and monitor the entire process closely, particularly when it comes to ensuring rights and appropriate conditions for the most vulnerable, such as women and children.

Finally, Commissioner D. Avramopoulos mentioned that fragmentation of the EU states’ approaches to developments in Ukraine, which also makes Europe vulnerable. The Commission reiterated the EU stand to remain united with Ukraine as it continues on the path of reforms. For example, the Commission has issued a legislative proposal to put Ukraine on the list of visa-free countries in the Visa Regulation. Thus, the Commission is implementing its commitment announced in December 2015 to propose EU visa-free travel to the Ukrainian citizens with biometric passports according to the report on the country's Visa Liberalisation Action Plan.

These issues will be transmitted to the Council and the European Parliament for discussion and adoption.

Reference: Speech by Commissioner D. Avramopoulos, Brussels, 20 April 2016. In:  

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-16-1505_en.htm?locale=en