Search results

Although its visibility was greatly enhanced by the 9/l1 attacks, the EU cooperation in the field of counterterrorism began in the 1970s. Then, as now, the rhetoric was much inflated & there was a marked gap between the politicians' rhetoric & the adoption of effective measures. The first section of this article traces the evolution of the European counter-terrorist cooperation & tries to assess the motives, as well as the limitations, behind the main initiatives. The second part examines the balance between the demands of the counter-terrorist efforts & the preservation of human rights & the rule of law. This is an issue whose relevance has become evident not only in domestic terms, but also in the field of the EU external relations. The EU policy towards the Mediterranean Arab states will help to illustrate these dilemmas. Adapted from the source document.