Global Security Newswire

The European Union and the United States have adopted a new counterterrorism declaration that calls for strengthened activities aimed at preventing terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction, officials said last week (see GSN, March 18).

The document states that the European Union, its member nations and the United States would take a number of measures to reduce the threat of terrorism, including enhancing "efforts to counter the risks of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) material being obtained or used by terrorists, including by building a stronger global nonproliferation regime, securing all nuclear material" (see GSN, April 14).

Washington and Brussels also pledged to "seek to build a more permanent joint mechanism for EU-U.S. cooperation on explosives and critical infrastructure protection" and to "encourage the global ratification and effective implementation of all relevant international conventions and protocols on counterterrorism" (European Union release, June 3).

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder welcomed last week's adoption by an EU body of the declaration, which also asserts the importance of cooperation between the EU, the United States and the United Nations on counterterrorism preparations.

"This declaration demonstrates our joint commitment to protect our citizens from terrorism consistent with our laws, our values and our commitment to individual privacy," Holder said in a statement. "Our work with our EU partners to protect the security of our citizens – including through programs such as the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program and the Passenger Name Record Agreement – is critical to the success of our counterterrorism efforts" (U.S. Justice Department release, June 3).