European ministers set to adopt new legal standards for tackling foreign terrorist fighters

Ministers from across Europe are expected to adopt new legal measures to help tackle “foreign terrorist fighters” at the annual session of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers in Brussels on Tuesday 19 May.

The measures will take the form of an additional protocol to the Council of Europe’s convention on preventing terrorism, a legally-binding international treaty which has so far been signed by 44 of the Council of Europe’s 47 member states.

The protocol will oblige countries to criminalize various acts including intentionally taking part in terrorist groups, receiving terrorism training and travelling abroad for the purpose of terrorism.

It will also include measures to boost international co-operation, including the creation of a 24/7 network of contact points to enable countries to rapidly share information.

In addition, the ministers are expected to adopt a declaration on tackling violent extremism and radicalisation leading to terrorism, as well as an action plan for Council of Europe work in this area, including measures to tackle radicalisation in schools, prisons and on the internet.

The meeting is taking place in Brussels as part of the Belgian chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers. The chairmanship will pass to Bosnia and Herzegovina at the end of the meeting.

The 125^th session of the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers will take place at the Egmont Palace in Brussels from 10h30 to 16h on Tuesday 19 May 2015.

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