EU Counter-terrorism strategy [What Think Tanks are thinking]

Written by Marcin Grajewski

The attack in Paris on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo in January 2015, and the ensuing wave of violence in which 17 people were killed, together with subsequent events in Belgium and Denmark, has prompted a debate in the European Union on strengthening its counter-terrorism strategy. On 12 February, EU heads of state and government discussed new initiatives that would aim, among other goals, at preventing Europeans from going to fight alongside jihadist militants in Syria and Iraq, and their returning to carry out attacks in Europe. At their informal meeting, the EU leaders called for stricter checks on people entering the Schengen area, better information-sharing and the rapid adoption of the Passenger Name Records (PNR) system.

This note offers links to a selection of recent commentaries and analyses by major international think-tanks and research institutes which analyse the internal security threat posed by terrorism and ways to contain it.

Read the pdf of this At a glance here

Commentaries by think tanks

After Paris: What’s next for the EU’s counter-terrorism policy?

Centre for European Reform (CER), January 27, 2015

Historical choices after the massacres in Paris European Policy Centre, January 14, 2015

Can Europe protect itself against terrorism? Carnegie Europe, January 14, 2015

Don’t overhaul French anti-terrorism Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI), January 13, 2015

After the Paris attacks Carnegie Europe, January 13, 2015

Hebdo attack could spur military response: To what end?  Brookings Institution, January 29, 2015

Europe’s jihadi generation (Javier Solana opinion piece) Brookings Institution, February 27, 2015

Europe cracks down on terrorism Brookings Institution, January 16, 2015 

The threats to Europe’s democracy and stability Carnegie Europe, January 12, 2015 

Paris 7-8 January: Darkness in the city of light International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, January 9, 2015

About fear, terrorism and what is really new Clingendael, November 1, 2014

Is a French intifada brewing? Institut Français des Relations Internationales (IFRI), April 9, 2014

Analyses by think tanks

The EU counter-terrorism policy responses to the attacks in Paris: towards an EU security and liberty agenda  Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), February 9, 2015

Blasphemy, Charlie Hebdo, and the freedom of belief and expression

Institute for Strategic Dialogue, February, 2015

Strengthening government partnerships to build resilience: the challenge of foreign fighters

Institute for Strategic Dialogue, January, 2015

Addressing foreign terrorist fighters phenomenon from EU perspective

Clingendeal, December, 2014

Returning Western foreign fighters: The case of Afghanistan, Bosnia and Somalia

International Centre for Counter-Terrorism, June 20, 2014

Global terrorism index report, 2014 Institute for Economics and Peace, November, 2014

On the front line: A guide to countering far-right extremism Institute for Strategic Dialogue, June, 2014

Confidential partnerships? The EU, its strategic partners and international terrorism FRIDE, January 2014

Related publications

Differenzierte Reaktionen von Muslimen auf die Anschläge von Paris und die Gefahr kollektiver Schuldzuweisungen Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik, February 15, 2015

Using Force Against Terrorists ‘Outside Areas of Active Hostilities’—The Obama Approach and the Bin Laden Raid Revisited, German Institute for International and Security Affairs, February 5, 2015

Cyber jihadists and their web European Union Institute for Security Studies, January 30, 2015

Terroranschläge in Paris: Reaktionen der islamischen Welt: Zwischen Verurteilung und Erklärungsversuchen  Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, January 15, 2015

Djihadistische Radikalisierung und staatliche Gegenstrategien  Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, 2015   

Security and defence – an issue for the European citizen?  

Trans European Policy Studies Association, March, 2014

The Arab war(s) on terror European Union Institute for Security Studies (EUISS), June 27, 2014

Foreign fighters, the challenge of counter-narratives Institute for Strategic Dialogue, March, 2014

Economic cost of violence containment Institute for Economics and Peace, February 2014

Other relevant material

Informal meeting of the Heads of State or Government Brussels, 12 February 2015 – Statement by the members of the European Council

‘Foreign fighters’ – Member States’ responses and EU action in an international context

EPRS briefing, February 5, 2015 

Foreign fighters and European responses  EPRS keysource, January 28, 2015