EU LEADERS ENDORSE REVISED ACTION PLAN OF COUNTER-

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
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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
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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
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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
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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