EU: Rush to pass new terrorism law continues with LIBE vote

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"Today, on 4 July 2016, the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties (LIBE) waved through a compromise text for a Directive on “combating terrorism”. The compromise comes after a series of secret negotiations between a handful of parliamentarians.

Our freedoms and security are being threatened by unclear provisions on key issues like internet blocking and encryption. The text also includes undefined terms, such as “radicalisation” and the “glorification of terrorism” which can be subject to abuse. Due to political pressure, there was “exceptionally” no assessment of alternatives to the far-reaching measures contained in the proposal. This political expediency risks undermining the values on which the European Union is founded."


See: Rush to “fight terrorism” threatens our fundamental rights and security (EDRi, link)

Background: EU to gold plate international anti-terrorism obligations with "urgent" new law (Statewatch News Online, December 2015)

And see previous critiques, prior to initial agreement on a text between the Council and Parliament to take to trilogue negotiations:

  • Meijers Committee: Note on a Proposal for a Directive on combating terrorism (Statewatch News Online, March 2016)
  • Proposed new counter-terrorism law: Joint NGO critique (Statewatch News Online, March 2016)

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