The fight against terrorism has historically been a
member state competence. Prior to the 9/11 terrorist
attacks, cooperation in the field of counter-terrorism
was not carried out within the EU’s institutional
framework. In response to the London bombings of
7 July 2005, the United Kingdom (UK), which was then
holding the Presidency of the EU Council, drafted what
would ultimately become the “European Union Counter-
Terrorism Strategy”, adopted in December 2005.
