US embassy cable - 05BRUSSELS2403

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 002403 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DHS FOR IAO, BORDER PATROL 
DOJ FOR CRM 
ROME ALSO FOR INS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, PREF, PTER, CMGT, CVIS, KCRM, LY, EUN, USEU BRUSSELS 
SUBJECT:  EU LEADERS NOTE JHA ACTION PLAN, LIST 
PRIORITY ISSUES IN FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM 
 
REF: USEU BRUSSELS 2166 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
1.  EU leaders in the June 16-17 European Council 
endorsed without discussion the draft conclusions 
put forward by the Luxembourg Presidency in the area 
of "Freedom, Security and Justice" (or Justice and 
Home Affairs, JHA).  The conclusions basically note 
the adoption by the June 2 JHA Council (REFTEL) of 
the five-year Action Plan for implementing the Hague 
program of EU actions in the field of Freedom, 
Justice and Security, and a report by the JHA 
Council on the implementation of the EU Action Plan 
to combat terrorism. 
 
THE HAGUE PROGRAM 
----------------- 
 
2.  The leaders noted the adoption by the June 2-3 
EU JHA Council of the five-year Action Plan for 
implementing the Hague program of EU actions in the 
field of Freedom, Justice and Security.  This 
blueprint translates the Hague program into specific 
EU measures in the fight against terrorism, 
migration management, visa policies, asylum, privacy 
and security, the fight against organized crime and 
criminal justice.  The specific proposals for EU 
legislation will be tabled by the Commission in the 
months and years ahead (further details on 
http://europa.eu.int/comm/justice_home/news/i nformat 
ion_dossiers/the_hague_priorities/index_en.ht m).  In 
view of the "growing importance of the external 
dimension in the area of freedom, security and 
justice," the plan will be supplemented by a 
strategy to be proposed by the Commission and 
Council SG/HR Solana. 
 
3.  The leaders underlined "the prime importance 
that Member States should implement the various 
measures" under the action plan "effectively and 
within the deadlines."  Noting that the JHA Council 
was reviewing the measures taken by the individual 
Member States to transpose and implement the EU 
Framework Decision on the European Arrest Warrant, 
the conclusions said, "that method of evaluation 
should in general be developed." 
 
4.  The conclusions underlined the emphasis in the 
Action Plan on operational cooperation between the 
various players involved in the EU's internal 
security, noting the "more operational character of 
recent work" by the EU Chiefs of Police Task Force, 
EUROPOL and EUROJUST, and welcoming the start of 
activities by the Agency for the Management of 
Operational cooperation at the EU's External 
Borders. 
 
5.  The leaders agreed to stake stock of the 
implementation of The Hague program during the 
second half of 2006. 
 
FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM 
----------------------- 
 
6.  The European Council also noted a report by the 
JHA Council on the implementation of the EU Action 
Plan to combat terrorism, stressing the importance 
of compliance with the deadlines for the entry into 
force of measures considered to be a priority for 
the effectiveness of the fight against terrorism. 
The Presidency conclusions commend "progress made on 
the legislative front in the area of the exchange of 
judicial and police information and the fight 
against the financing of terrorism."  The European 
Council also noted "guidelines defined by the 
council for drawing up a strategy on radicalization 
and terrorist recruitment, including, among other 
things, the promotion at national level of dialogue 
between religions, the finalization of the peer 
review of domestic anti-terrorism arrangements and 
the development of the analytical capacity within 
the Council Secretariat." 
 
7.  The European Council identified the following as 
priority issues for the second half of 2005: 
 
QUOTE 
 
--   Legislative proceedings to strengthen police 
and judicial cooperation, in particular, and as far 
as possible, concerning the exchange of information 
between police authorities, the evidence warrant, 
the retention of data on telecommunications traffic, 
and the exchange of information and cooperation on 
terrorist offences; 
 
--   Further efforts to achieve a better sharing of 
strategic and operational information between Member 
States, and between the latter and the competent 
agencies and Services of the Union, in accordance 
with the Hague Program; 
--   The drafting of the strategy and action plan on 
radicalization and terrorist recruitment, in the 
light of the guidelines defined by the Council; 
 
--   Follow-up to the recommendations stemming from 
the peer review of domestic anti-terrorism 
arrangements; 
 
--   Continued implementation of the strategy on the 
financing of terrorism, in particular by adopting a 
code of conduct to prevent the abuse of charitable 
organizations and by strengthening the procedures 
concerning the freezing of assets; 
 
--   The strengthening of civil protection 
capabilities, particularly the medical resources 
available to deal with a bioterrorist attack, and 
the development of a rapid reaction capability based 
on the civil protection modules of the Member 
States; 
 
--   The strengthening of political dialogue on 
terrorism with third countries, and of international 
cooperation in the tight against terrorism, in 
particular the adoption of the United Nations 
comprehensive convention on international terrorism; 
 
--   The finalization of program of assistance for 
certain priority third countries to strengthen their 
anti-terrorist mechanisms, and the implementation, 
in that respect, of the network of experts 
responsible for responding to requests for technical 
assistance from third countries; 
 
--   Customs cooperation measures to improve the 
security of the supply chain. 
 
END TEXT 
 
8.  The European Council will assess the progress 
made and revise the EU Action Plan in the fight 
against terrorism at its meeting in December 2005. 
 
MCKINLEY