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EU Security Union Strategy

TA-9-2020-0378 · P9_TA(2020)0378 · PE661.551

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Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.

Parliament's resolution on the EU Security Union Strategy welcomes the Commission's strategy and sets out what EU security policy should cover. It calls for full implementation of existing EU security laws, thorough impact assessments for new proposals, and respect for fundamental rights and CJEU case law on data retention and surveillance. It addresses terrorism, radicalisation, organised crime, money laundering, corruption, child sexual abuse, drugs, firearms trafficking, migrant smuggling, disinformation, hybrid threats and 5G security. It asks for stronger judicial cooperation, better protection for victims, more resources for EU justice and home affairs agencies, and action on gender-based violence.

Key points

  1. Welcomes the EU Security Union Strategy and stresses that existing EU security legislation must be effectively implemented and evaluated, with follow-up where gaps are found.
  2. Requires any new legislative proposal to come with a thorough impact assessment, including on fundamental rights and discrimination risks, and highlights the role of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency.
  3. Urges the Commission to ensure full and swift implementation of the counter-terrorism directive in all member states and welcomes the new EU counter-terrorism agenda of 9 December 2020.
  4. Calls for a holistic approach to preventing radicalisation combining security, education, social, cultural and anti-discrimination policies, and for EU funds to be used more effectively.
  5. Calls for swift identification and removal of online terrorist content with human review and safeguards, for transparent reporting mechanisms, and for strengthening Europol's EU Internet Referral Unit.
  6. Welcomes the agenda on organised crime, calls for revision of the 2008 Framework Decision on organised crime and a common definition, and for measures on freezing and confiscating assets.
  7. Welcomes the action plan on money laundering and terrorist financing, calls for better cooperation between authorities and Financial Intelligence Units, and for evaluation of the Anti-Money Laundering Directive.
  8. Calls on the Commission to resume annual anti-corruption monitoring covering all member states and EU institutions, and to prevent EU funding from being used for corruption and fraud.
  9. Calls for action against child sexual abuse online and offline, expects a legislative proposal requiring service providers to detect and report such abuse before June 2021, and urges full implementation of Directive 2011/93/EU.
  10. Stresses that end-to-end encryption protects privacy and security, warns that backdoors may compromise it, and calls for law enforcement training and assessment of lawful access to data.
  11. Calls for combating disinformation to be part of the Security Union Strategy with adequate funding, and for stronger cooperation against hybrid threats and secured critical infrastructure including 5G.
  12. Welcomes action plans on firearms trafficking and drugs, calls for implementation of the darknet monitoring action, and for balanced drug policy with focus on rehabilitation and prevention.

Who is affected

  • Member states, which must fully and correctly implement EU security laws and face infringement procedures for delays.
  • EU justice and home affairs agencies, which need proper funding and staffing to fulfil their mandates.
  • Online service providers, which are expected to detect and report child sexual abuse and remove terrorist content.
  • Law enforcement and judicial authorities, which need training, digital tools and better cooperation.
  • Victims of crime, especially vulnerable victims and children, who need protection, support and compensation.

Figures and deadlines

  • EUR 110 billion per year: estimated profits of organised crime groups in the EU.
  • 1 %: share of organised crime profits confiscated.
  • EUR 30 billion per year: estimated retail value of the illicit drugs market in the EU.
  • more than 9 000 fatalities every year: drugs-related deaths in Europe.
  • 25 %: reported increase in child sexual abuse material in some member states during the COVID-19 crisis.
  • between 70 % and 85 %: share of children who have suffered abuse and know their abuser.
  • before June 2021: expected timing for a Commission legislative proposal on detecting and reporting child sexual abuse online.
  • 23 member states: subject to infringement procedures in 2019 for failing to comply with Directive 2011/93/EU.

Legal basis: Articles 2 and 3 of the Treaty on European Union, and Articles 4, 16, 67, 70-72, 75, 82-87 and 88 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.