EU ministers hold emergency terrorism talks

European Union nations weigh new measures to fight terrorism today at emergency talks called after the terror attacks in Madrid that killed more than 200 people.

EU interior ministers will debate a lengthy “action plan” that calls for a pan-EU database of terrorist’s criminal records and across-the-board closer cooperation against terrorists.

The plan from Antonio Vitorino, the EU justice and home affairs commissioner, also suggests the EU foreign ministers and government leaders – who will take stock of Europe’s fight against terrorism next week – issue a declaration of solidarity with Spain.

Separately, Ireland and other EU members have proposed an EU anti-terrorism chief and a European Central Intelligence Agency.

“One of the member states of the Union is the victim of an appalling terrorist outrage,” the solidarity declaration drafted by the EU head office said.

“It is the duty of the Union, its institutions and all its member states to act quickly and in a spirit of solidarity to provide all possible support and assistance to Spain,” the declaration said.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said this week that the Madrid attacks have caused terrorism to be seen “as one of the key threats to EU interests”.

This week, the leaders of France and Germany called for a new plan against terrorism.

Today, Spanish interior minister Angel Acebes is to brief his counterparts on the investigation into the bombings.

The blasts are believed to have been carried out by the Islamic group al-Qaida.

Officials said EU governments are keen to defuse fears that al-Qaida operatives are roaming across Europe.

Yesterday, the European Commission chided member nations for not doing enough to implement existing anti-terrorist measures and it urged them to set sovereignty concerns aside and cooperate more and better.

Without naming any countries, the EU head office said five nations must still enact a European arrest warrant, three must still implement a deal on a common definition of terrorism and adopting EU minimum and maximum sentences for terrorists.

Meanwhile, 11 governments have yet to enact laws enabling police to make cross-border requests to intercept communications and monitor bank accounts.

“This is unacceptable. Action is needed to turn political agreements into legal reality,” the European Commission report said.

Mr Vitorino proposed tightening up existing measures designed to freeze terrorist funding, improve protection of information systems and implement EU laws enabling courts to recognise confiscation orders issued in other EU states.

The EU head office also told governments to quickly implement a security deal with the US on container traffic by sea.

“The EU needs to better target its dialogue” with countries believed to have training facilities for terrorists, it added.

Washington will be closely watching the measures the Europeans come up with. In the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the US administration has taken several steps against terrorism that have caused friction with the Europeans.

Yesterday, a European Parliament committee threatened to file a court challenge against a Commission deal allowing US authorities to collect personal data on airline passengers, saying it undermined privacy rights.

Washington has demanded that all airlines provide passenger data within 15 minutes of departure and threatened fines of up to $6,000 (€4,800) per passenger and the loss of landing rights for noncompliance.

The information it wants includes credit card data and meal preferences.