Preventing terrorist attacks must remain a priority for the EU

Fidesz MEP Kinga Gál welcomed the EU’s new Counter-Terrorism Agenda at the meeting of the European Parliament’s Subcommittee on Security and Defence (SEDE). “As Rapporteur for one of the Union’s flagship initiatives, the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), my main objective was to create an instrument that can effectively contribute to the fight against terrorism in Europe”, pointed out the Vice-Chair of the SEDE subcommittee.

Claudio Galzerano, head of Europol’s Counter Terrorism Centre has confirmed in his presentation that the entry of terrorists into Europe posing as refugees remains a major problem. This phenomenon emphasizes the need to better protect the external borders and places a major responsibility on international organizations such as Europol.

MEP Kinga Gál, President of the Fidesz-KDNP delegation to the European Parliament emphasized: “The ETIAS pre-travel authorization system has been transformed into a powerful counter-terrorism tool at the cost of major debates. In the system, which will be launched in January 2022, we have set up an ETIAS watchlist, through which Europol and the Member States can share data on terrorist suspects. We have also provided Europol with access to data stored in the ETIAS central system in order to combat terrorism more effectively”.

Kinga Gál called the establishment of the first UN regional counter-terrorism center in Budapest a positive development in the fight against terrorism. In her view the protection of lives must be a top priority for the EU.