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“I strongly believe in European freedom of movement, but in the face of threats, we can only maintain freedom if we protect the external borders,” Macron said in Paris.
Improving the protection of the EU’s external borders is one of the most important measures in the fight against Islamist terrorism. There was consensus on this on Tuesday when Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (ÖVP), French President Emmanuel Macron and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte discussed counterterrorism measures with EU leaders via video conference.
“I firmly believe in European freedom of movement, but in the face of threats, we can only maintain freedom if we protect external borders,” Macron said at the final press conference in Paris. The French president had previously had a personal conversation with Kurz at the Elysee Palace. “We cannot do without knowing who enters and leaves the EU,” Kurz said. In addition to regular border checks, better cooperation is needed between secret services and security forces such as Europol or the border protection agency Frontex. All participants agreed that reforming the Schengen system was essential.
Exact control system until 2023
Commission President Ursula von Leyen announced a counterterrorism agenda for December 9. To protect the external borders, an entry / exit strategy must be established for 2023, regulating precise controls.
Participants in the video conference, including EU Council President Charles Michel, agreed that it would also be important to ensure that terrorist content can be removed from the internet more quickly in the future. In principle, Europe must be united, he said.
However, this should not give the impression that a battle is being fought between the religions. “It is not about Christianity against Islam,” Rutte said, “but about civilization against barbarians.” Merkel added: “There are not only criminal components, but also social ones.”
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