The terrorist threat has returned to Brussels but this time is different: everyone is feeling on edge and life is still far from normal. There are many that show defiance and, slowly, people in Brussels are returning to school and work, but the sense of threat remains. Unfortunately, this is far from unusual for many cities around Europe, as Paris and many others can testify, and is likely to be replicated again and again, here in Brussels and across the continent

Zuleeg, Fabian

Archive of European Integration

              www.epc.eu  24 November 2015   01/12/2009      Don’t let them win  Fabian Zuleeg  The terrorist threat has returned to Brussels but this time is different: everyone is feeling on edge and life is still far from normal. There are many that show defiance and, slowly, people in Brussels are returning to school and work, but the sense of threat remains. Unfortunately, this is far from unusual for many cities around Europe, as Paris and many others can testify, and is likely to be replicated again and again, here in Brussels and across the continent.  A Fortress Europe?  The reactions are predictable: many are calling for stricter security measures, including restrictions on civil liberties. Populists are attempting to gain political capital from this tragedy: based on some of the Paris terrorists apparently entering via the refugee route, some populist and even mainstream politicians have already blamed migration at least partially for these attacks, calling for border controls and more fences, with Schengen increasingly in the line of fire. Many more will make that link in the coming days, increasing the tendency for Europe to re-erect borders it has dismantled over the decades.  While some stricter security measures might be necessary, attempting to build a Fortress Europe is neither desirable, nor will it address the problem. Determined terrorists will find routes into Europe, not least because many of them already come from here in the first place. It is the long years of failure in effective integration of certain groups, the lack of effective security cooperation and foreign policy failures that are now proving costly, not the removal of barriers to free movement. A Fortress Europe will not solve the underlying challenges.  A role for Europe  This is not to say that the EU has no role – on the contrary. Maintaining free movement will require greater cooperation between Europe’s nations, with a renewed emphasis on internal and external security cooperation. In case of threat, Europe’s security services need to work hand-in-hand, as clearly the terrorist suspects are moving across borders. If internal border checks become temporarily necessary, this should be done jointly, and a renewed effort is necessary on supporting the countries with external borders and intensifying cooperation with third countries. More effort will also need to go into integration of marginalised groups as well as effective integration of the newly arriving refugees, which can be supported more by the Union, including through EU funding.  But the role of the EU should go further than this. The current situation is a classic demonstration of the transboundary nature of today’s policy challenges. In spite of the right-wing populist rhetoric, the current situation demonstrates the need for more Europe, not less. The list is long: a more effective Common Foreign and Security Policy, including a forward-looking Neighbourhood Policy, a joint asylum policy, a renewed freedom of movement agenda, preserving the achievements the EU has already delivered, a development agenda that can address some of the root causes of conflict, coordinated active labour market policies, etc., etc.  Instead of pandering to understandable fears by creating the illusion that a Fortress Europe is the answer, politicians need to explain the need for greater cooperation, directly challenging the narrow logic of right wing populists and Eurosceptics. The time has come to remember that the EU was created to provide greater security and it can still fulfil this role, even in these changed circumstances.        2  Collateral damage?  But preserving European integration is not only necessary because it is more effective than the alternative of fragmentation and disintegration. The EU also stands for everything these terrorists are trying to destroy: peaceful cooperation, tolerance and mutual support. As the Treaties put it, we should draw “inspiration from the cultural, religious and humanist inheritance of Europe, from which have developed the universal values of the inviolable and inalienable rights of the human person, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law.” This is exactly what these terrorists are trying to undermine.  If the collateral damage of the crisis we are experiencing is restrictions of civil liberties, a restriction of the right for asylum, a weakening of European institutions and borders being re-erected – physically and in people’s minds – the terrorists have won.  More Europe!  So, above all, we must work together to defend and strengthen this European Union in a time of crisis. Fragmentation, fear and distrust are in the interest of the terrorists; effective, Europe-wide cooperation, based on European values, is a victory for us. This will not stop the terrorists from committing further atrocities. Nor will it solve all the challenges the EU is facing, including the enormous task of integrating the arriving refugees. But without European cooperation, we cannot begin to tackle these issues and to defend our common values. This is what the EU is for and this is what it should stand for.   Fabian Zuleeg is Chief Executive and Chief Economist at the European Policy Centre (EPC).                             Disclaimer: The views expressed in this Commentary are the sole responsibility of the author.   

Don't let them win. EPC Commentary, 24 November 2015

   
 
 
         www.epc.eu  24 November 2015   01/12/2009 
    
 
Don’t let them win 
 
Fabian Zuleeg 
 
The terrorist threat has returned to Brussels but this time is different: everyone is feeling on edge and life is still far from 
normal. There are many that show defiance and, slowly, people in Brussels are returning to school and work, but the sense 
of threat remains. Unfortunately, this is far from unusual for many cities around Europe, as Paris and many others can testify, 
and is likely to be replicated again and again, here in Brussels and across the continent. 
 
A Fortress Europe? 
 
The reactions are predictable: many are calling for stricter security measures, including restrictions on civil liberties. Populists 
are attempting to gain political capital from this tragedy: based on some of the Paris terrorists apparently entering via the 
refugee route, some populist and even mainstream politicians have already blamed migration at least partially for these 
attacks, calling for border controls and more fences, with Schengen increasingly in the line of fire. Many more will make that 
link in the coming days, increasing the tendency for Europe to re-erect borders it has dismantled over the decades. 
 
While some stricter security measures might be necessary, attempting to build a Fortress Europe is neither desirable, nor will 
it address the problem. Determined terrorists will find routes into Europe, not least because many of them already come from 
here in the first place. It is the long years of failure in effective integration of certain groups, the lack of effective security 
cooperation and foreign policy failures that are now proving costly, not the removal of barriers to free movement. A Fortress 
Europe will not solve the underlying challenges. 
 
A role for Europe 
 
This is not to say that the EU has no role – on the contrary. Maintaining free movement will require greater cooperation 
between Europe’s nations, with a renewed emphasis on internal and external security cooperation. In case of threat, 
Europe’s security services need to work hand-in-hand, as clearly the terrorist suspects are moving across borders. If internal 
border checks become temporarily necessary, this should be done jointly, and a renewed effort is necessary on supporting 
the countries with external borders and intensifying cooperation with third countries. More effort will also need to go into 
integration of marginalised groups as well as effective integration of the newly arriving refugees, which can be supported 
more by the Union, including through EU funding. 
 
But the role of the EU should go further than this. The current situation is a classic demonstration of the transboundary 
nature of today’s policy challenges. In spite of the right-wing populist rhetoric, the current situation demonstrates the need for 
more Europe, not less. The list is long: a more effective Common Foreign and Security Policy, including a forward-looking 
Neighbourhood Policy, a joint asylum policy, a renewed freedom of movement agenda, preserving the achievements the EU 
has already delivered, a development agenda that can address some of the root causes of conflict, coordinated active labour 
market policies, etc., etc. 
 
Instead of pandering to understandable fears by creating the illusion that a Fortress Europe is the answer, politicians need to 
explain the need for greater cooperation, directly challenging the narrow logic of right wing populists and Eurosceptics. The 
time has come to remember that the EU was created to provide greater security and it can still fulfil this role, even in these 
changed circumstances. 
 
   
 
 
 
2 
 
Collateral damage? 
 
But preserving European integration is not only necessary because it is more effective than the alternative of fragmentation 
and disintegration. The EU also stands for everything these terrorists are trying to destroy: peaceful cooperation, tolerance 
and mutual support. As the Treaties put it, we should draw “inspiration from the cultural, religious and humanist inheritance of 
Europe, from which have developed the universal values of the inviolable and inalienable rights of the human person, 
freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law.” This is exactly what these terrorists are trying to undermine. 
 
If the collateral damage of the crisis we are experiencing is restrictions of civil liberties, a restriction of the right for asylum, a 
weakening of European institutions and borders being re-erected – physically and in people’s minds – the terrorists have won. 
 
More Europe! 
 
So, above all, we must work together to defend and strengthen this European Union in a time of crisis. Fragmentation, fear 
and distrust are in the interest of the terrorists; effective, Europe-wide cooperation, based on European values, is a victory for 
us. This will not stop the terrorists from committing further atrocities. Nor will it solve all the challenges the EU is facing, 
including the enormous task of integrating the arriving refugees. But without European cooperation, we cannot begin to 
tackle these issues and to defend our common values. This is what the EU is for and this is what it should stand for. 
 
 
Fabian Zuleeg is Chief Executive and Chief Economist at the European Policy Centre (EPC). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this Commentary are the sole responsibility of the author. 
 
 


http://aei.pitt.edu/69685/1/pub_6135_don_t_let_them_win.pdf

Don't let them win. EPC Commentary, 24 November 2015

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