EU security union strategy

SUMMARY OF:

Communication on the EU security union strategy

WHAT IS THE AIM OF THE COMMUNICATION?

It sets out the main priorities to ensure the physical and digital security of the European Union (EU) and its citizens over the next 5 years.
It concentrates on priorities and actions where the EU can add value to support EU countries in fostering security for all those living in Europe.

KEY POINTS

Security is an issue that pervades all spheres of life. For this reason, the EU has decided to take a holistic approach to security. This communication provides an overall framework to support national policies by anticipating and tackling evolving threats whether they be online/offline, digital/physical or internal/external.

The strategy sets out 4 strategic EU-level priorities.

1.
Ensuring a future-proof security environment for individuals
The critical infrastructures* we use in our daily lives must be safe and resilient and the technologies we depend on must be protected from ever more sophisticated cyberattacks, whether from inside or outside the EU.
Key actions to be taken will include:
- strengthening the EU’s legislation on critical infrastructures (Directive 2008/114/EC — see summary) and on network information systems (Directive (EU) 2016/1148 — see summary);
- increasing the financial sector’s operational resilience;
- creating an EU cybersecurity strategy and a joint EU cyber unit;
- encouraging stronger cooperation on protecting public spaces and sharing best practice on drone misuse.
2.
Tackling evolving threats
This priority covers aspects such as cybercrimes (e.g. identity theft or theft of business data), illegal online content (child sexual abuse or incitement to hate or terrorism) and hybrid threats (combinations of conventional/unconventional and military/non-military activities).
The strategy proposes a series of actions, such as ensuring that cybercrime legislation is enforced and fit for purpose, reviewing the EU operational protocol to counter hybrid threats and drawing up a more effective strategy against child sexual abuse.
3.
Protecting Europeans from terrorism and organised crime
The strategy highlights the way that terrorism and radicalism cost lives and destabilise society and the fact that organised crime is responsible for economic losses of between €218 and €282 billion every year.
Actions to be taken include:
- developing a counter-terrorism agenda and stronger anti-radicalisation initiatives;
- more cooperation with non-EU countries and international organisations;
- an agenda against organised crime and an action plan against migrant smuggling;
- a 2021-2025 drugs agenda and action plan;
- a 2020-2025 EU action plan on firearms trafficking;
- reviewing legislation on freezing and confiscation of assets (Regulation (EU) 2018/1805 — see summary), on asset recovery offices (Decision 2007/845/JHA — see summary) and on environmental crime (Directive 2008/99/EC — see summary).
4.
Developing a strong European security ecosystem
A collective priority for EU governments, law enforcement authorities, businesses, NGOs and individuals is to combat crime and promote justice by cooperating more closely and sharing information. This means ensuring that the EU’s external borders are strong to provide security for the public and the travel-free Schengen area. It also means investing in security research and innovation in new technologies and techniques to counter and anticipate threats, and in skills and awareness-raising so that businesses, administrations and individuals are better prepared.
Actions that could be taken to develop a stronger European security ecosystem include:
- a possible EU ‘police cooperation code’ and police coordination in a crisis;
- a stronger mandate for Europol;
- a stronger Eurojust linking judicial and law enforcement authorities;
- the revision of the advance passenger information directive (Directive 2004/82/EC — see summary);
- stronger cooperation between the EU and Interpol.
The European Commission:
- presented, at the same time as the strategy, 3 specific initiatives to implement its aims:
- will report regularly on progress made to the European Parliament and the Council, which have already endorsed the strategy’s priorities, and to stakeholders.

BACKGROUND

The EU’s initial policy response to the increase in security threats came with the Commission’s European agenda on security 2015-2020 (see summary). This was drawn up in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo attacks in January 2015 in Paris.
In July 2020, the Commission issued a working document on the implementation of home affairs legislation in the field of internal security for the period 2017-2020.
For more information, see:
- security union strategy 2020-2025 (European Commission).

KEY TERMS

Critical infrastructure: essential infrastructure for vital societal functions, health, safety, security, economic or social well-being, whose disruption/destruction has a significant impact.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the European Council, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on the EU Security Union Strategy (COM(2020) 605 final, 24.7.2020)