Evaluating EU terrorism measures
Nearly 14 years since the New York terrorist attacks of 2001, Europe has entered a post war-on-terror phase whereby antiterrorism laws are pervasive. Europe is a significant counterterrorism player and investor; therefore, it is appropriate to review the impact and effectiveness of European efforts in this area. The EU-funded SECILE (Securing Europe through counter-terrorism—Impact, legitimacy and effectiveness) project aimed to provide such assessment. The seven-partner project focused on European security legislation, aiming to incorporate the practical experiences of end users. The consortium ran between May 2013 and October 2014. Project researchers empirically fulfilled the project's assessment goal, and provided the first complete catalogue of EU measures. Between 2011 and 2013, the EU enacted 239 counterterrorism responses, 88 of which are legally binding. Previous forecast-based assessments prioritised economic over social impacts. The European Parliament has also been marginalised in its oversight of EU antiterrorism measures, raising concerns about their democratic legitimacy. The measures have seldom been reviewed, further undermining their legitimacy and preventing real assessment. Certain measures were introduced under an antiterrorism umbrella, yet their actual use has been much broader. The consortium presented its findings at numerous conferences and two workshops, also convening four focus groups. Research yielded one major publication, plus a series of reports, case studies and various other documents. SECILE produced the first complete list of EU antiterrorism responses, which the project also reviewed. The assessment may lead to policy changes and more effective responses in the future.
Keywords
Terrorism, antiterrorism, counterterrorism, security legislation
