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French President Emmanuel Macron has said that terrorist attacks are a “European reality” and that major changes are needed in EU border security.
It comes after three recent Islamist attacks in quick succession: two in France and one in Vienna.
Macron spoke after a video conference to discuss counterterrorism strategy with the leaders of Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.
The French president said he wanted a “deep reform” of how the external borders of the Schengen area are controlled without a visa from Europe, something he expressed for the first time last week.
Angela Merkel joined the rest of the leaders through videoconference
“All weaknesses at the external border or in a member state are a security risk for all members,” Macron said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed that a change was needed.
“It is vitally important to know who enters and who leaves the Schengen area,” he said.
Macron also called for better police cooperation between nations and that the response to the recent attacks should be “common, coordinated and swift” before EU leaders meet again in December.
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This Friday is the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks in Paris that killed 130 people.
However, France continues to suffer Islamist attacks, with a headless master in recent weeks in the north of the capital and three people killed in a nice church.
Four people too shot dead in Vienna last week by a man officials said had tried to join the Islamic State.
The Nice and Vienna attacks involved people who had moved freely between countries due to Schengen rules, which removed the internal border controls of 26 countries.
Austrian leader Sebastian Kurz (right) said former jihadists were ‘ticking time bombs’
Austrian leader Sebastian Kurz told reporters on Tuesday that more action was needed to protect people from former jihadists, many of whom have fought in Syria with ISIS.
He called them “time bombs” and a “permanent danger among us.”
Kurz said their freedom should be limited when they get out of jail.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte emphasized that any tougher measure by EU leaders should not be seen as a measure against Islam.
“This is not a conflict between Christians and Muslims … No. It is a struggle between civilization and barbarism,” Rutte said.
Macron also seems to be targeting some of the big players in the tech world.
He wants “terrorist content” removed from the internet in an hour, something he said “should be implemented in the next few weeks.”
EU interior ministers will meet on Friday to further discuss counterterrorism work, said European Council President Charles Michel, who was also at the meeting along with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
