Today, the EU is surrounded by instability and conflicts and faces a war on its borders. This environment is a breeding ground for multiple threats to European security from terrorism, violent extremism and organised crime to hybrid conflicts and cyberattacks, instrumentalisation of irregular migration, arms proliferation and the progressive weakening of the arms control architecture. Financial instability, extreme social and economic divergences can further exacerbate such dynamics and have a growing impact on our security. All of these threats undermine EU security along our southern and eastern borders and beyond.

In view of the changing security environment, in March 2022, the EU adopted a Strategic Compass for Security and Defence. Earlier, the EU outlined its vision for the EU Security Union Strategy. Terrorism and violent extremism remain a top priority in all these strategic documents. They, in all their forms and irrespective of their origin, continue to constantly evolve and pose a serious threat to peace and security, inside the EU and beyond. These include a combination of home grown terrorists, foreign fighter returnees, attacks directed, encouraged or inspired from abroad, as well as the propagation of ideologies and beliefs that lead to radicalization and violent extremism. In particular, the threat from Da’esh, al-Qaeda and their affiliates remains high and continues to undermine stability in various regions, as well as the EU’s security.

The internal/external security nexus constantly drives EU action. It is a principle that is clearly enshrined in our policy framework on counter terrorism and security.  We build our instruments to counter the threats on the assumption that internal security threats have often an external and transnational dimension. Making these instruments more effective calls for international cooperation.

As mentioned previously, developments in Afghanistan call for close attention, great concern and timely action. Cooperation with partners to understand developments inside Afghanistan and the region is essential. Our Central Asian partners play a key role in this respect.

The unwillingness of the Taliban to take action against the safe heavens of international terrorists, and the ability of IS-K to persist, ring alarm bells. When will these groups be able to plan actions abroad? Only with close international cooperation, including with regional countries, can we avoid such a scenario. The challenge of foreign terrorist fighters (FTFs) is emblematic of the link between internal and external security. Cooperation on counterterrorism and preventing and countering radicalisation and violent extremism is central to security inside the EU. The developments of the past decade in Syria and Iraq, but also further afield, including Afghanistan, have shaped the global debate about the relocation of FTFs and on their international travels from one country to another.

The EU is committed to ensuring the full and effective implementation of key UN Security Council Resolutions 2396 (on threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts) and 2482 (on the nexus between international organised crime and terrorism). Further steps to develop counterterrorism partnerships and cooperation with countries in the neighbourhood and beyond is needed, drawing on the expertise of the Network of EU Counter-Terrorism/Security Experts. We have such an expert in Central Asia and one that will be deployed in the coming weeks in Kabul, Afghanistan. Comprehensive and integrated border management strategies are important elements for the effective and timely identification of suspected or known terrorists and FTFs, members of transnational criminal organizations, and other serious criminals attempting to cross international borders.

The EU and its Member States are also concerned about the nexus between organized crime and terrorism, which is also key for effectively countering and preventing terrorist activity and movement in the region and elsewhere. Better understanding the nature and scope of the linkages that may exist between terrorism and organized crime, will have a positive impact on the  internal security of the concerned countries.

Terrorists can benefit from organized crime, whether domestic or transnational. A good border control strategy, regional cooperation and information sharing are important elements in countering this threat. Understanding the crime-terror nexus is essential not only for the prevention of travel by terrorists and other serious criminals, but also for the effective identification of potential victims of terrorist groups, sexual and gender-based violence, human trafficking and other related crimes. For example, effective and comprehensive gender-sensitive screening procedures at borders would thus allow border officials to identity victims and individuals in vulnerable situations, protect them from secondary victimization, and ensure referral mechanisms to the adequate services and protection.

Terrorists have also sought to acquire and to “weaponise” chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) materials, as well as to develop the knowledge and capacity to use them. The potential of CBRN attacks features prominently in terrorist propaganda. With the potential damage so high, particular attention is needed. Cooperation with third countries is also important to enhance a common culture of CBRN safety and security, making full use of the EU global CBRN Centres of Excellence. One of them covers a number of Central Asian countries.

Given the complex character of cross-border crime threats, comprehensive operational responses are required. The EU has a common approach on Border Management. Therefore especially risk mitigation measures taken by Member States Europol and Frontex (EU Border Guard Agency) at the EU external borders need to be based on risk analysis findings and identified criminal threats, and this is applicable to any region in the world, including Central Asia. Besides risk analysis support, the Agency (Frontex) provide technical and operational assistance to Member States to reinforce their capacity to fulfill their obligations with regard to the control of the external borders and to face challenges at the external borders resulting also from cross-border crime. This support may consist of training, advice on appropriate technological tools or launch of an operational response either in the form of a Joint Operation or even a Rapid Border Intervention. In line with the European Integrated Border Management concept, the Agency coordinates its cross-border crime related activities also with Europol and other relevant actors.

While today we will mainly focus on borders, some emerging challenges have no borders. New and emerging technologies have been a game changer. Online platforms allow extremists to spread their propaganda and recruit fast, across borders and at a relatively low cost. They can operate more easily in the shadow thanks to encrypted communications that have become the new norm. In the future, developments such as artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, synthetic biotechnologies, or virtual and augmented reality offer terrorists the potential to carry out attacks more easily and with larger consequences.

The European Union has enacted legislation to remove terrorist content online. The regulation entered into force in June of this year. Member States have also recently adopted the Digital Services Act in the Council. Once in force, the Digital Services Act will complement this approach on illegal content, including hate speech, which include all forms of extremist content.

The EU is keen to share its experience and best practices with Central Asian partners in the area of countering terrorist threats and border management that promotes connectivity. Continued cooperation on border management in the region, including Afghanistan, remains a priority of the EU with a view to facilitating intra-regional trade, as well as fighting against illegal trafficking of persons, drugs and goods, and managing migration flows.

The following programmes have also supported our partners: The Border Management Programme for Central Asia,  and the Law Enforcement in Central AsiaSTRIVE Asia, but also the EU-UN CT Facility and CT Travel. Our CT TECH programme, also covering Central Asian countries aims at strengthening capacities of law enforcement and criminal justice authorities to counter the exploitation of new and emerging technologies for terrorist purposes, as well as supporting the leveraging of new and emerging technologies in the fight against terrorism. Our programme that provides funding to the UN to support Central Asian states citizens’ returned from conflict zones.

The European Union is also keen on supporting efforts destined to address the digital drivers of violent extremism and the “weaponisation” of information and social media.

I will stop here, but I would mention that our experts are present at the conference: speaking at the panels, side events and I also invite you to visit our stand.