Council of Europe reveals new counter terrorism strategy

Responding to the evolving nature of terrorism threats in Europe, the Council of Europe has adopted a counter-terrorism strategy for 2023-2027 which offers new tools and concrete responses to continuous and emerging challenges faced by state authorities.

The strategy aims to strengthen counter-terrorism efforts in Europe and beyond by addressing root causes and drivers in the current geopolitical landscape. It also aims to address the growing threat from violent extremism in Europe, the surge in abuses of new technologies for messaging, recruitment and training, and the interplay between acts of terrorism and violations of the rules of armed conflict (war crimes) recently observed in the context of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine.

It follows up on a number of efforts made under the 2018-2022 counter-terrorism strategy, such as the report on emerging terrorist threats in Europe and the Recommendation on the use of information collected in conflict zones as evidence in criminal proceedings related to terrorist offences.

The strategy also reflects the understanding that while ISIL/Daesh or Al-Qaida-inspired terrorist threats may have diminished in recent years, there is a need to find effective and comprehensive means to prevent their resurgence.

To address these issues, the strategy consists of 24 actions targeted at strengthening preventive, repressive and protection capacities of national authorities. This will achieved through the development of a set of binding and non-binding legal standards, analytical reports, and model tools.

Expected outputs include a resource tool on factors driving violent extremism leading to terrorism and recommendations on combating the promotion of terrorism and radicalisation on the internet.

The strategy also foresees the development of guidelines on matters such as prosecuting terrorist offences and serious violations of international humanitarian law committed in the context of an armed conflict as well as on the (re)integration of women and children returnees and others affected by terrorism, among other issues.

The new strategy will be implemented by the Council of Europe Committee on Counter-Terrorism (CDCT), in close co-operation and co-ordination with other relevant Council of Europe and United Nations bodies.