Franco Frattini, European Commissioner for Justice, Liberty and Security, addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday 7 September to present a reinforced Community action plan against the threat of terrorism. It is “founded on three major lines of attack: prevention, protection, reaction”. Present together with Frattini in Strasbourg was British Home Minister Charles Clarke, who had managed the emergency after the attacks in London in July. The Commissioner declared: “We are with all those who have suffered as a result of terrorism in every part of the world. And I say ‘we’ we citizens, institutions and states of Europe because our union can make the difference in a battle that no, I repeat no, State, however strong, proud and well-prepared, can dream to win alone”. Clarke, for his part, called for “concrete decisions by the end of the [British] semester”, saying he would submit to the Newcastle summit on 8-9 September “new measures regarding the storage of data on telephone conversations and on contacts through the internet”. Also being studied is the use of biometric data on passports. The debate in the EP confirmed however the doubts of almost all the political groups on respect for the fundamental rights and liberties of citizens that may be jeopardized by the action undertaken by governments to curb terrorism. Hans-Gert Poettering, leader of the People’s Party group, declared: “The Eu must use all the existing legal instruments, but not allow itself to be involved in a field of action devoid of rights”. According to the socialist leader Martin Schulz, “the Union must forcefully react against those who threaten democracy, but cannot ignore fundamental rights”. During a briefing to journalists, Clarke explained that “since he thought a rapid accord with the other European institutions would be difficult”, he might instead “propose to his colleagues to choose a procedure that does not include co-decision with the European Parliament”.
