US embassy cable - 04BRUSSELS5391

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 005391 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DHS FOR IAO, BORDER PATROL 
DOJ FOR CRM 
ROME ALSO FOR INS 
STATE ALSO FOR EB FOR DAVID BROWN AND EUR/ERA FOR ED BROWN 
TREASURY FOR CHIP PONCY 
DOJ FOR SUZANNE HAYDEN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, EFIN, SMIG, PREF, SNAR, EUN, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT:  EU LEADERS ENDORSE REVISED ACTION PLAN OF COUNTER- 
TERROR MEASURES, NEW EU DRUGS STRATEGY 
 
REF: (A) USEU BRUSSELS 4789; (B) USEU BRUSSELS 4964 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1.  EU leaders at the December 16-17 European Council 
endorsed a revised EU Action Plan for the fight against 
terrorism and noted other contributions, including a 
strategy against terrorist financing that will continue to 
be a priority in 2005.  Other priorities next year will be 
the protection of critical infrastructure, civil protection 
and information exchange.  The leaders also endorsed the EU 
Drugs Strategy 2005-2012 and welcomed the establishment of 
common principles for the integration of migrants.  Full 
text of European Council conclusions is available from 
http://ue.eu.int.  END SUMMARY. 
 
COUNTER-TERRORISM 
----------------- 
 
2. Though the subject was hardly discussed, EU leaders in 
the conclusions of the December 16-17 European Council 
reiterated their "unyielding determination to combat the 
continuing terrorist threat through a comprehensive and 
integrated approach" as well as their "conviction that, in 
order to be effective in the long run," the EU "must address 
the root causes of terrorism." Leaders tasked the EU Council 
of Ministers "to establish a long-term strategy and action 
plan" on radicalization and recruitment by June 2005." 
 
3. The conclusions called for "prompt implementation" of CT 
measures in The Hague Program on Strengthening Freedom, 
Security and Justice (REF A), stressing the need to improve 
exchange of information among terrorism-related services. 
 
4. The European Council welcomed the revised EU Action Plan 
and additional progress reports by the HiRep and Commission, 
and said the next review would be due in June 2005. Leaders 
expect "further concrete results" in the months ahead on: 
 
-- LAW ENFORCEMENT COOPERATION, including through EUROPOL 
and the EU Police Chiefs Task Force, and by improved 
information exchange among Member States, exchanging data on 
lost and stolen passports with Interpol, and completing peer 
evaluations of national CT structures by Sept. 25, 2005; 
 
-- JUDICIAL COOPERATION, including exchange of information 
from criminal records; progress on retention of telecoms 
data, the European Evidence Warrant, and plans for a 
European (witness) Protection Program; 
 
-- BORDER AND DOCUMENT SECURITY, including the addition of 
biometrics to EU passports and standing-up the new European 
Border Agency by May 2005); 
 
-- INTELLIGENCE COOPERATION, including strengthening links 
between the EU Counter-Terrorism Group and the "reinforced" 
EU Situation Center; 
 
-- TERRORIST FINANCING, including by reaching agreement on 
controls for cash entering or leaving the EU and on the 
third Money Laundering Directive, and the creation of a best 
practices tool for implementing financial sanctions; the 
Commission was asked to submit "proposals to prevent misuse 
of charitable organizations for the financing of terrorism," 
and Member States were urged to submit names to the EU 
terrorist sanctions list; 
 
-- CIVIL AND INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION, including creation 
of a Solidarity Program for consequence management, further 
assessment of the capabilities that Member States could make 
available to the EU in the event of an attack, and creation 
of a critical infrastructure protection program (by the end 
of 2005); 
 
-- EXTERNAL RELATIONS, including implementation of the EU 
decision to add CT clauses in agreements with non-EU 
countries, implementation of the 2004 US-EU Summit 
Declaration and enhanced cooperation with non-EU countries 
through dialogue, assistance and regional cooperation. 
 
MORE WORK TO BE DONE 
-------------------- 
 
5.  The revised Action Plan shows that every Member State 
still has to implement one or more of the twelve legislative 
instruments highlighted in previous European Council 
conclusions.  These include three protocols to improve 
EUROPOL's powers to combat terrorism, and several other 
instruments that would make the EU more effective on 
terrorism financing (such as the Convention and the Protocol 
on mutual legal assistance). Several Member States have yet 
to implement the MLAT and extradition agreements with the 
U.S.  Two Framework Decisions (on confiscation of crime- 
related proceeds and protection against cyber attacks) have 
been the subject of a political agreement in the Council -- 
in December 2002 and February 2003, respectively -- but 
formal adoption has been delayed by parliamentary scrutiny 
reservations in Member States.  Several Member States have 
still to ratify some of the U.N. CT Conventions.  EU sources 
also recognize there is still important work to be done at 
European level to protect trans-border networks. 
 
EU DRUGS STRATEGY 2005-2012 
--------------------------- 
 
6.  The leaders endorsed the EU Drugs Strategy for 2005- 
2012, already adopted by the Council (REF B).  The 
conclusions tasked the Commission to submit a proposal for 
an Action Plan for implementation of the Strategy in 2005- 
2008, to be adopted by the Council early in 2005. 
 
INTEGRATION OF MIGRANTS 
----------------------- 
 
7.  The leaders welcomed the establishment of common basic 
principles for the integration of immigrants into EU Member 
States (REF B).  They also welcomed the November 9-11, 2005 
ministerial conference on integration policy in Groningen 
that paid special attention to the problem of youth exposed 
to radical influences. 
MCKINLEY