Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Terrorism – European Union countries – Prevention'

Under the competences of the European Union's intergovernmentally controlled Justice and Home Affairs policy, counter-terrorist co-operation and co-ordination of efforts have progressed at a rapid pace following the 11 September attacks on the USA. Given, however, that Europe has experienced entrenched terrorist campaigns for the past three decades, one could be forgiven for questioning, in light of the unique co-operative position of Western Europe, why it has taken so long for the membership of the EU to reach a common definition of terrorism. Also why is it that even now, the EU has failed to develop a common policy against terrorism? Political explanations are traditional responses to such questions, but there is a risk of underestimating the complexities of the European Project, and the effect which this has had on so many areas of transnational co-operation. By focusing therefore on the often-overlooked role played by European integration on counter-terrorist co-operation, in addition to empirical analysis of the efficiency of the co-operative structures, we place ourselves in a more beneficial position to understand the current situation. Intergovernmentalism, the controlling force of JHA co-operation, we find is not mutually exclusive to law-enforcement co-operation. Two theories tested for supranational influences - neo-functionalism and federalism - have also played their part, from the early 1960s onwards, in facilitating co-operation. The historical emphasis is important, because co-operation prior to the regulation of much of this area within the EU, following the Treaties of Economic Union, provides us with ample material for analysis and greater insight into the JHA process and counter-terrorism. Intergovernmentalism has helped push counter-terrorist co-operation along, but equally we find that it now serves as a hindrance in completing its development because of its in-built tendency to retain subsidiarity. Counter terrorist co-operation, we conclude, need not be restricted to intergovernmental control any longer.

Thesis (M.A. in Security Studies (Defense Decision-Making and Planning)--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2004.
Thesis advisor(s): David S. Yost. Includes bibliographical references (p. 57-64). Also available online.

Thesis (M.A. in Security Studies)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2006.
Thesis Advisor(s): Maria Rasmussen, Rafael Biermann. "December 2006." Includes bibliographical references (p.85-98). Also available in print.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited
This thesis analyzes adverse demographic trends in the European Union, including sub-replacement birthrates and increasing median ages. It investigates the implications of these trends for the EU's prospects for becoming a stronger and more influential actor in international affairs. Pressures arising from population trends in and near the EU could ultimately affect national and EU cohesion, governmental effectiveness, and social stability. Absent remedial measures, social programs in some EU countries will be unsustainable due to the mounting financial burden of pensions and health care for growing elderly populations. Such financial obligations hinder funding other national programs, including modernized military capabilities. Nationalism and national identity are at issue in immigrant integration and assimilation efforts. The role of population trends with regard to the growing threat of radical Islamic fundamentalism is explored. The thesis concludes with policy recommendations that might be considered to avert the looming economic, social, and security crises that may result from these demographic trends. In short, the security and financial consequences foreshadowed by the current demographic trends of an aging, economically weaker, and socially conflicted European Union could present dramatic implications for the vital national interests of the United States.
Lieutenant, United States Navy

Булатін, Д. О. Адміністративно-правові засади здійснення превентивної діяльності поліцією: порівняння досвіду України та країн ЄС : дис. ... д-ра філос.: 12.00.07, 081 / Дмитро Олексійович; МВС України, Харків. нац. ун-т внутр. справ. - Харків, 2020. - 247 с.
У дисертації міститься теоретичне узагальнення актуальної наукової проблеми, пов’язаної із визначенням адміністративно-правових засад здійснення превентивної діяльності поліцією через порівняння досвіду України та країн ЄС, а також шляхів їх удосконалення. В результаті проведеного дослідження сформульовано низку положень та висновків котрі спрямовані на досягнення поставленої мети.
The dissertation contains a theoretical generalization of the current scientific problem related to the definition of administrative and legal principles of preventive activities by the police through a comparison of the experience of Ukraine and the EU, as well as ways to improve them. As a result of the research, a number of provisions and conclusions have been formulated which are aimed at achieving the set goal.
В диссертации содержится теоретическое обобщение актуальной научной проблемы, связанной с определением административно-правовых основ осуществления превентивной деятельности полицией через сравнение опыта Украины и стран ЕС, а также путей их совершенствования. В результате проведенного исследования сформулирован ряд положений и выводов которые направлены на достижение поставленной цели.

Examining board: Prof. Pascal Vennesson, EUI/RSCAS (Supervisor) ; Prof. Adrianne Héritier, EUI/RSCAS ; Prof. Monica Den Boer, Free University of Amsterdam; Prof. Hanna Ojanen, Finnish Institute of International Affairs
Defence date: 22 December 2008
PDF of thesis uploaded from the Library digital archive of EUI PhD theses
Prior to 11 September 2001, the counter-terrorist responsibilities overseen by the European Union (EU) were relatively unimportant. Since then, however, member states have decided to engage the EU in a larger number of counter-terrorist issues and, in some cases, empower it to undertake substantial tasks. The EU has thus become an important player in counterterrorism in Europe; notwithstanding the fact that the major actor remains the member states themselves. However, this increase in EU engagement on counter-terrorist issues has varied enormously from one policy area to another. This asymmetric increase lies at the centre of my research question: since 11 September 2001, why have member states conferred important anti-terrorist responsibilities to the EU in some areas - for instance, judicial cooperation in criminal matters - and less significant in others, such as policing? I address this question by investigating the agenda-setting and decision-making processes of two specific EU decisions in each of my two policy area cases (2001-2007). In each case, one decision constitutes a large increase of EU engagement and the other represents a small or zero increase. The two cases are: Judicial Cooperation (European Arrest Warrant and the European Evidence Warrant) and Police Cooperation (EU ‘Prüm Measure’ and failure of the Commission’s proposal on the Principle of Availability). In order to explain the research puzzle, I apply a modified version of John Kingdon’s ‘Three Strands Model.’ This enquiry sheds light on the relative influence on decision-making of the occurrence or non-occurrence of a major terrorist attack (i.e. changes in the addressed problem) and the entrepreneurship of the European Commission or of the member state holding the rotating Presidency of the EU Council. The EU member states are the central actors and their preferences are analysed as a means to understand the role played by the logic of consequentialism and the logic of appropriateness, respectively.

Defence date: 16 February 2007
Examining board: Prof. Grainne de Búrca (Supervisor, former EUI, Fordham Law School) ; Prof. Wladyslaw Czaplinski (University of Warsaw) ; Prof. Neil Walker (European University Institute) ; Prof. Jörg Monar (Université Robert Schuman, Strasbourg)
PDF of thesis uploaded from the Library digitised archive of EUI PhD theses completed between 2013 and 2017

Defence date: 21 January 2013
PDF of thesis uploaded from the Library digital archive of EUI PhD theses
Examining Board: Professor Ernst-Ulrich Petersmann, European University Institute (Supervisor); Professor Marise Cremona, European University Institute; Professor Alan Rosas, Judge at the Court of Justice of the European Union; Professor Christophe Hillion, University of Leiden and Stockholm University.
Human rights are among the chief values on which the EU is ‘founded’ (Art. 6 TEU) and which it seeks to promote through its external relations (Art. 21 TEU). Coherence with values is a significant rhetorical tool which is used, on the one hand, to justify the development of new policies and instruments, and, on the other hand, to challenge EU actions by civil society, the European Parliament, commentators, but also third countries. This thesis examines whether human rights are indeed a ‘silver thread’ running through everything that EU does as argued by the EU High Representative. To that end, I first analyze why coherence as such, and coherence with values in particular, hold an important place in the EU’s foreign policy integration. As a second step, I discuss the nature of human rights as an international and EU framework for coherent action. I then investigate one particular area of EU external action, namely counter-terrorism policy, with a view to assessing coherence with values in practice, and more specifically to analyzing how successful the EU actually was in integrating human rights in its counter-terrorism instruments such as sanctions, provisions of its international agreements, and external assistance. On this basis, I outline in the third part the legal and policy aspects of human rights coherence, before concluding with the steps which still need to be taken in order to ‘weave a silver thread’ of human rights into EU external policy.

Defence date: 20 June 2005
Examining board: Bruno de Witte, EUI ; Kees Groenendijk, University of Nijmegen ; Thérèse Murphy, University of Nottingham ; Neil Walker, EUI
PDF of thesis uploaded from the Library digitised archive of EUI PhD theses completed between 2013 and 2017
The phenomenon of trafficking in women for sexual exploitation, which in the last decade has changed from a marginal 'non-issue' to a legitimate concern in many parts of the world, has become familiar through newspaper coverage, and now, finally, legislators and law enforcement agencies have begun to act. In Europe many EU Member States now have (or are developing) at least some sort of anti-trafficking policies (with some of them in the forefront of global anti-trafficking efforts). Moreover, the EU itself has become markedly more active with regard to curbing trafficking in human beings, as part of its migration control and police and judicial co-operation functions. However, even co-ordinated efforts such as those being worked on by the EU tend to produce only short-term 'cures' to a problem that is in truth global and structural in nature and which cannot be eradicated - or necessarily even significantly reduced - through policing and migration control measures alone. Too often there is little debate on broader measures which might be targeted to address the 'root causes' of trafficking, such as poverty, under-development, general lack of economic and migration opportunities and, above all, gender inequality. Against this background, this dissertation deals with present efforts to control trafficking in women for sexual exploitation. In doing so it examines claims that what is needed effectively to prevent and tackle trafficking is a 'comprehensive' approach, and at the very least one that is far more wide-ranging and coherent than what exists today, and also analyses the assertion that destination countries, and more specifically Member States of the EU, could and perhaps should, take more action against trafficking through regional co-operation, particularly in the framework of the EU, rather than as individual Member States. The thesis will be of interest to a wide range of scholars in EU law, human rights, comparative law, sociology, feminist theory and politics, as well as policy-makers, practitioners and NGO activists in various European countries.

Supervisor: Prof. Giovanni Sartor, EUI
Award date: 13 February 2012
PDF of thesis uploaded from the Library digital archive of EUI PhD theses
Cybercrime and cyber-security are attracting increasing attention, both for the relevance of Critical Information Infrastructure to the national economy, and the interplay of the policies tackling them with ‘ICT sensitive’ liberties, such as privacy and data protection. As such, the subject falls in the ‘security vs. privacy’ debate. The objective of this study is twofold. On the one hand, it is descriptive: it aims to cast light on the (legal substantive) nature of, and relationship between, cybercrime and cyber security, which are currently ‘terms of hype’. On the other, it explores the possibility of reconciling data protection and privacy with the prevention of cybercrime and the pursuit of a cyber-security policy, and therefore wishes to explore causation. The latter is a subset of the wider question of whether it is possible to build ‘human rights by design’, i.e. a security policy that reconciles both security and human rights. I argue that narrow or online crimes and broad or off-line crimes are profoundly different in terms of underlying logics while facing the same procedural challenges, and that only narrow cybercrime pertains to cyber-security, understood as a policy. Yet, the current policy debate is focussing too much on broad cybercrimes, thus biasing the debate over the best means to tackle ICT-based crimes and challenging the liberties involved. I then claim that the implementation of data protection principles in a cyber-security policy can act as a proxy to reduce cyber threats, and in particular (narrow) cybercrime, provided that the following caveats are respected: i) we privilege a technical computer security notion; ii) we update the data protection legislation (in particular the understanding of personal data); and iii) we adopt a core-periphery approach to human rights. The study focuses on the EU. Due to time constraints, the interaction between privacy and data protection and other liberties involved, as well as purely procedural issues are outside of the scope of this research.

Defence date: 18 November 2010
Examining Board: Prof. Bo Stråth (EUI, Supervisor); Prof. Kiran K. Patel (EUI); Prof. Lisbet Christoffersen (Roskilde University); Prof. Willfried Spohn (Georg-August-Universität)
PDF of thesis uploaded from the Library digital archive of EUI PhD theses
This thesis examines secularisation theories and explores the question of their capability to capture and explain contemporary conflicts in Europe centred on the space and role for, primarily Muslims, religion in the public sphere. From the 1980s onwards, the "resurrection of religion” has reigned as the paradigm for the development of religion in the modern world, substituting the otherwise prevailing prediction that religion would “die out” as the inevitable effect of modernity. The prediction of revitalising religious vitality was motivated by the Iranian Revolution and a general worldwide rise in what broadly came to be labelled as 'religious fundamentalism'. Subsequently, this was fuelled by incidents such as the Rushdie affair, the 9/11 terror attacks, the Madrid and London bombings, the murder of Theo van Gogh and the Mohammed caricature crisis. Besides causing somewhat of a Kuhnian shift within secularisation theory and the social sciences more generally, these incidents, among many others, have also aroused a secular retort in Europe responding to what is perceived to be an inappropriate increasing religious vitality in otherwise modern and secularised societies.

Trends and patterns of cancer mortality in Kazakhstan in comparison with some selected European countries from 1986 to 2008 Abstract Cancer is the third leading cause of premature death in Kazakhstan. Every year more than thirty thousand Kazakhstani people are diagnosed with cancer. This master thesis tries to provide base for the cancer control programmes in Kazakhstan. It also analyses the changes of the mortality level and distribution by the most important groups of tumours for men and women. The most common types of cancer are lung, skin, breast and stomach. These four cancers combined account for over 44% of new cases of cancer. Lung cancer is the most common cancer in men accounting for nearly a quarter of cancer cases in men. Breast cancer is by far the most common cancer in women accounting for 20%. Cancer remains mainly a disease of older Kazakhstanis. The largest proportion of cancer deaths for both men and women were from lung cancer mainly caused by smoking. Deaths from cancers of the lung, stomach, breast and esophagus together accounted for almost a half (46%) of all cancer deaths. With an estimated ASMR 225.5 for males and 122.0 for females in 2008, cancer remains an important public health problem in Kazakhstan. The international comparison illustrates the differences in cancer mortality in...

This thesis deals with the topic of terrorism prevention and counter-radicalization in the European Union. The aim of this thesis is to assess the effectiveness of the 'prevent' pillar of The EU Counter-Terrorism Strategy. Due to the lack of agreement on why people engage in terrorism, (the process of) radicalization, and measuring and conceptualizing effectiveness, a unique research framework was designed. In the absence of a 'recipe' for effective terrorism prevention, the focus is on the EU's approach, i.e. what the EU has set out for itself in the 'prevent' pillar. This research design consists of two criteria - 'progress' and 'EU involvement.' In order to assess the effectiveness of the 'prevent' pillar, each of the pillar's seven key priorities was exposed to these criteria. The findings indicate that the 'prevent' pillar is relatively effective as the progress was made in each priority area and the EU was involved considerably. As this research does not make any causality claims, these findings do not translate into the reduction of the terrorist threat. This effectiveness might as well be a result of careful wording of the pillar's priorities and their tailoring to the EU context. The main responsibility to tackle radicalization and recruitment still remains at local and national level.

Jihadist terrorism, or violent extremist terrorism of Islamic origin, has become one of the main threats to the western way of life. In recent years, some of the countries of the European Union have been the target of several jihadist terrorist attacks by Islamic State affiliates. Following some of these terrorist attacks, serious failures in police cooperation and information sharing, have been found, that may have contributed so that it was not possible to prevent them or even avoid them. Thus, the European Union, recognizing the importance of information sharing in the prevention of terrorist attacks, has been building over time information systems and structures that have reinforced counterterrorism in Europe. As this is a matter that must, above all, be prevented, good police cooperation and good information sharing at a national, regional and international level is crucial for such prevention to be successful. In this regard, we aim to demonstrate with this study to what extent EU information systems, EU Agencies and informal information sharing forums have contributed, and continue to contribute, to effective police cooperation and rapid information sharing in order to prevent and combat jihadist terrorism. We also intend to point out what are the main limiting obstacles to full police cooperation and full information sharing between the security forces and services at European and national level. Thus, the work is structured in three main chapters: the first, theoretical and conceptual in nature, focuses on the conceptualization of the terrorism phenomenon, as well as the European and national legal framework for the prevention and combat of jihadist terrorism and the sharing of information; the second chapter sets out the importance of preventive investigation of this type of terrorism and the importance of information and intelligence systems in its prevention; the third chapter deals with the central theme of police cooperation and information sharing at European and national level, having sought to understand the main limiting obstacles to full police cooperation and full information sharing between the Forces and Security Services at European and national level.
O terrorismo jihadista, ou o terrorismo extremista violento de matriz islâmica, tornou-se numa das principais ameaças ao modo de vida ocidental. Nos últimos anos, alguns dos países da União Europeia foram alvo de vários atentados terroristas jihadistas perpetrados por afiliados do Estado Islâmico. Na sequência de alguns destes atentados terroristas, constatou-se a ocorrência de falhas graves no âmbito da cooperação policial e da partilha de informações, que poderão ter contribuído para que não tenha sido possível preveni-los e mesmo evitá-los. Neste sentido, a União Europeia, reconhecendo a importância da partilha de informações, na prevenção dos atentados terroristas, tem vindo a construir ao longo do tempo sistemas de informação e estruturas que têm reforçado o contraterrorismo na Europa. Tratando-se de um fenómeno que interessa acima de tudo ser prevenido, uma boa cooperação policial e uma boa partilha de informações ao nível nacional, regional e internacional, é fundamental para que essa prevenção tenha êxito. Neste sentido, pretendemos com este estudo demonstrar em que medida é que os sistemas de informação da UE, as principais Agências da UE e os fóruns informais de partilha de informação contribuíram e continuam a contribuir para uma eficaz cooperação policial e para uma célere partilha de informações, na prevenção e combate do terrorismo jihadista. Pretendemos, também, indicar, quais os principais obstáculos limitadores que impedem uma plena cooperação policial e uma plena partilha de informações entre as Forças e Serviços de Segurança, ao nível europeu e ao nível nacional. Assim, o trabalho está estruturado em três capítulos principais: o primeiro, de natureza teórico-conceptual, incide sobre a conceptualização do fenómeno terrorismo, assim como o enquadramento jurídico europeu e nacional da prevenção e combate do terrorismo jihadista e bem assim da partilha de informações; o segundo capítulo enquadra a importância da investigação preventiva deste tipo de terrorismo e a importância dos sistemas de informação e da intelligence na sua prevenção; o terceiro capítulo aborda o tema central da cooperação policial e da partilha de informações ao nível europeu e ao nível nacional, tendo-se procurado perceber quais os principais obstáculos limitadores que impedem uma plena cooperação policial e uma plena partilha de informações entre as Forças e Serviços de Segurança, ao nível europeu e ao nível nacional.

Entre 2014 e 2019 a União Europeia (UE) foi atingida por vários atentados terroristas, muitos de matriz islamita (Estado Islâmico), causando efeitos extremamente devastadores (e.g. Segundo a Europol no ano de 2017 ocorreram 33 ataques, nos quais registaram-se 62 mortos). Em 2018 e 2019, apesar de existir uma diminuição do número de ataques e de mortos, o terrorismo continuou a representar uma ameaça importante para os países da UE. As bombas/explosões têm sido o modus operandi na Europa que causa maior número de vítimas. Os terroristas têm recorrido sobretudo ao uso dos designados explosivos caseiros (e.g. Para a Europol, entre 2014 e 2017, as bombas/explosões, representaram mais de 80% dos incidentes terroristas jihadistas), nomeadamente, TATP (mais de 70%), sólido que resulta da junção de peróxido de hidrogénio e acetona num meio ácido. Para fabricar estes explosivos caseiros, os terroristas têm, assim, recorrido a precursores de explosivos, principalmente o peróxido de hidrogénio, e, por esta razão, este será um dos temas da nossa investigação. Deste modo, a prevenção desta prática constitui uma das prioridades da UE, através do desenvolvimento de várias medidas na ótica da política de segurança, e, consequentemente será o objetivo desta investigação identificar o tipo de medidas que têm sido adotadas pela UE na prevenção dos ataques terroristas, nomeadamente, através do incremento do controlo dos precursores de explosivos. Pretende-se, também, verificar se estas medidas têm respaldo teórico na criminologia ambiental através da aplicação de técnicas de prevenção situacional. Finalmente, o panorama português será também objeto de análise.
Between 2014 and 2019 the European Union (EU) has been hit by several terrorist attacks, many by Islamist groups (Islamic State), having a devasting impact (e.g. According to Europol in the year 2017 there were 33 attacks, in which 62 people were killed). In 2018 and 2019, has been a decrease in the number of attacks and deaths, but terrorism continued to represent a major threat in EU countries. Bombs/explosions have been the modus operandi in Europe that causes the highest number of victims. Terrorists have mainly use of so-called homemade explosives (e.g. For Europol, between 2014 and 2017, bombs/explosions accounted for more than 80% of jihadist terrorist incidents), mostly, TATP (more than 70%), solid that results from the combination of hydrogen peroxide and acetone in the presence of an acid. To manufacture these homemade explosives, terrorists use explosive precursors, mainly hydrogen peroxide, and for this reason, this will be one of the topics of our investigation. Thus, the prevention of this practice is one of the EU's priorities, by the development of various measures from the perspective of security policy, and, consequently, the aim of this investigation will be to identify the type of measures that have been adopted by the EU in preventing attacks terrorists, namely by increase the control of explosive precursors. It is also intended to verify whether these measures have theoretical support in environmental criminology by the application of situational prevention techniques. Finally, the portuguese panorama will also be the object of analysis.

Depois dos ataques em Madrid, em 2004, e em Londres, em 2005, a Europa vê-se confrontada com novos ataques terroristas de cariz jihadista que assolaram o território europeu, desde 2015 até à atualidade (2018), chamando a atenção para as limitações das políticas existentes. Assim, a União Europeia tem vindo a desenvolver esforços significativos na área da luta contra o terrorismo, que podem ser aplicados direta ou indiretamente ao terrorismo jihadista. O crescimento dos ataques perpetrados por atores solitários e, mais recentemente, o regresso dos combatentes estrangeiros, e dos seus familiares, apresenta-se como uma possível ameaça securitária dentro da União Europeia. Desta forma, a União Europeia procura lidar com todas as dimensões associadas a este tipo de terrorismo. Como tal, pretendese compreender as políticas de prevenção e de combate elaboradas pela União Europeia, tanto a nível interno como externo.
Following the attacks in Madrid in 2004 and in London in 2005, Europe is confronted with new jihadist terrorist attacks that have swept Europe from 2015 to the present (2018), drawing attention to the limitations of existing policies. The European Union has therefore made significant efforts in the area of counter-terrorism, which can be applied directly or indirectly to jihadist terrorism. The growth of attacks perpetrated by lonely actors and, more recently, the return of foreign fighters and their families presents itself as a possible security threat within the European Union. In this way, the European Union seeks to deal with all the dimensions associated with this type of terrorism. As such, the aim is to understand the European Union's prevention and combat policies, both internally and externally.