Policing the Perilous Euroland: Countering Terrorism and Radicalization in Europe

Monica den Boer & Irina Wiegand

Abstract
Counter-terrorism is not a completely new arena of activity in the European Union. The
Member States have cooperated since the early seventies, when terrorism was rife in various
countries. The terrorist attacks of 9/11 have propelled the issue back onto the policy agenda,
and joint efforts have been amplified by the attacks in Madrid (March 2004) and London
(July 2005). Recently, concerns have been voiced over the resurgence of violent right-wing
extremism. In contrast to the seventies, the EU can now encourage intensive cooperation
between the jurisdictions of the Member States, as it is has established an Area of Freedom,
Security and Justice. In this article, we discuss the three main planes of cooperation, namely
the strategic, the regulatory and the agency level of cooperation. Finally, we analyze how
nation states have responded to the call for European cooperation in the field of counter terrorism.

Keywords: Terrorism, Radicalization, Europe, Strategy, Regulation, Law, Sovereignty, Europol, Eurojust SitCen