Faced with terrorism, Frans Timmermans tempers. We'll talk about it again in May!

(BRUSSELS2) Jean-Claude Juncker had promised a very political European Commission. Its commissioners then repeated it in all languages...

Listening to the First Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, who came specially to report to the press on Wednesday (21 January) on the first discussion the European Commission had on terrorism (*), one can have some doubts about this will, which is more of a good intention than a reality...

Timmermans' responses to all concrete questions were very timid, and certainly not up to the challenges that arise today in the defense of freedoms. The Commission has always had difficulty reacting in the event of a crisis, overcoming its own internal quarrels and offering citizens a compromise between the necessary security and the pursuit of freedoms.

Great values...

The First Vice-President in charge of the rule of law has certainly made a very beautiful lyrical flight on the need to keep European values ​​- "tolerance (...), the rule of law, respect for the law" . And a few short sentences: Terrorism “ is an immense challenge facing the European Union ". Space " Schengen is part of the solution and not part of the problem ". It is necessary to facilitate the integration of each one, not to lose part of the population, and avoid exclusion ". " Everyone, whatever their race, their religion (...) Jews, Muslims, Christians, atheists, has their place in society. And the Commission will do what is necessary in the future through all its instruments”. In passing, he echoed the concern of the Jewish community: In some Member States, a majority of the Jewish community is not sure of having a future in Europe, this is a huge challenge to the very foundations of European integration ". A message that sounds strangely like a replica of the message of the Israeli Prime Minister, calling for the Aliyah of French Jews.

... but few concrete answers

After this introduction, when the time came for concrete questions, Commissioner Timmermans kicked the ball on each occasion: he either passed the ball back to the Member States, or admitted his ignorance, or answered beside the question. A possible position on the withdrawal of travel documents, passports and identity cards of people wanting to fight in Syria or suspected terrorists: “it is within the competence of the Member States ". A common position on foreign fighters? "I don't have an answer to give, I don't know if there is a common discussion ". The expenditure that the Member States will have to incur and compliance with the Stability Pact: it is up to each State to reflect, “ we have to make choices ". The question of telephone tapping: "a vast question". Internet monitoring and dialogue: “ I am not aware ". Only slightly concrete point: a possible modification of the European Commission's position on PNRs, the recording of aerial data. As for the European security strategy, it is experiencing a sudden acceleration. Instead of "before summer", it is promised for the month of May. Ooh the...

Member States on the front line

In fact, it seems that the European Commission has decided to leave the hand and the initiative to the Member States on an issue as sensitive as terrorism, even if it means reframing one or two initiatives, if necessary, afterwards. It was in a way the "non-message" transmitted politely, intelligently, in all languages ​​as he knows how to do, Frans Timmermans. This "strategy" is no doubt very subtle but very difficult to understand in public opinion which, paradoxically, expects a lot from Europe. The Juncker Commission thus falls back into the trap of the Barroso Commission of a Commission "in support" and not "on the initiative". This message, which is difficult to understand from a Commission which claims to be "political", is coupled with a small neighborhood quarrel which completes the blurring of the picture.

A slight lack of coordination of European structures

In this meeting, one man was missing, essential because he is the one who knows the subject best, the coordinator of the fight against terrorism, the Belgian Gilles De Kerchove. Admittedly, he is not a member of the Commission. He's just a high official, depending on the Council of the EU. That is, across the street. " Why invite him? But he is not a member of the Commission. We were supposed to have a debate within the college answered me a close friend of Juncker, somewhat taken aback by this question. However De Kerchove has knowledge, a perception of what the Member States want, a certain capacity for analysis which would be very useful today to the Commission. He has been following the subject for years. And he " listen a lot he likes to repeat. And listening to it, there is a lot to do...

What could the Commission do?

Admittedly, the fight against terrorism is the responsibility, in the first place, of the Member States, which have the upper hand in the police, intelligence, justice - no one disputes this - but there is a series of projects or reflections which could be initiated by the Commission, according to an initial analysis. It has, in fact, several tools, legislative or financial. A (slight) harmonization at 28 of certain practices would thus not be useless: for example a definition of the European terrorist fighter (often wrongly called "foreign fighter), a modification of the 2001 decision on terrorism, the establishment of exchange channels, supervision of telephone tapping, more concrete monitoring of financial support for terrorism, etc. A small financial boost to certain structures (such as Europol or EU delegations in third countries) or to the network radicalization would not be so negligible (a provision moreover provided for by the Treaty in the event of a terrorist alert).

Apply the UN resolution urgently? ...

The European Commission completely ignored UN resolution 2178. Wrongly... The United Nations had, in fact, asked its Member States " to apply fully and immediately » and of all « urgency » a set of measures (exchange of aerial information = PNR, exchange of information at regional level, reinforced border controls, fight against radicalization (details published on the club: Faced with EIIL, the expanded anti-terrorist blacklist. The extensive legislative and police arsenal (UN). This resolution is dated 4 months ago (24 September). What has Europe done since then to apply it?

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

(*) Two very weak commissioners

The Commission had preferred to shelter the main commissioners concerned, starting with the commissioner in charge of internal affairs, the Greek Avramopoulos. In the middle of the electoral campaign in Greece, delicate... to send to the press, a political leader - of whom some in Greece predict that he could return to the country in a few weeks to occupy one function or another. As for the Commissioner for Justice, the Czech Vera Jourova, she has completely disappeared from the radar. The political reality is also that the couple Avramopoulos-Androuvra is not really up to the previous couple Malmström-Reding who had a verve and a knowledge of the subjects that the two new Commissioners do not have. The Juncker Commission has a weakness: in terms of Justice - Home Affairs. And that's a problem today.