Fourth, we need a more joined-up inter-agency and a cross-sectorial approach.
Given the increasing nexus between different types of security threats, policy and action
on the ground must be fully coordinated among all relevant EU agencies, in the area of
Justice and Home Affairs8 and beyond. These agencies provide a specialised layer of
support and expertise for Member States and the EU. They function as information hubs,
help implement EU law and play a crucial role in supporting operational cooperation,
such as joint cross-border actions. It is time to deepen cooperation between these
agencies. The Commission will launch a reflection on how to maximise their
contribution, through closer inter-agency cooperation, coordination with Member States,
comprehensive programming, careful planning and targeting of resources.
Specific actions in a wide range of EU policies contribute to security objectives,
including in the area of transport, finance, customs, education, maritime security policy,
information technologies, energy and public health. Actions in the Digital Single Market
and the European Neighbourhood Policy will complement and reinforce the European
Agenda on Security. The Agenda builds also on existing sectoral strategies that can
contribute – directly or indirectly – to a high level of security.9
This Agenda has to be seen in conjunction with the forthcoming European Agenda on
Migration,10 which will address issues directly relevant to security, such as smuggling of
migrants, trafficking in human beings, social cohesion and border management.
Fifth, we need to bring together all internal and external dimensions of security.
Security threats are not confined by the borders of the EU. EU internal security and
global security are mutually dependent and interlinked. The EU response must therefore
be comprehensive and based on a coherent set of actions combining the internal and
external dimensions, to further reinforce links between Justice and Home Affairs and
Common Security and Defence Policy. Its success is highly dependent on cooperation
with international partners. Preventive engagement with third countries is needed to
address the root causes of security issues.
We should maximise the added value of existing policy dialogues on security conducted
by the EU – and the linked EU financial instruments and activities – with enlargement
and neighbourhood countries, key strategic partners, and relevant international and
regional organisations. Dialogues should be extended to include priorities such as
cooperation in fight against transnational organised crime and terrorism, smuggling of
migrants and trafficking in human beings. This should lead to specific joint action plans
with key third countries and be reflected in the targeted use of EU financial instruments.
EU Delegations in third countries are important for the dialogues on security, and
therefore require expertise and stronger local coordination. The ongoing deployment of
security experts in EU Delegations in European Neighbourhood Policy countries and
other targeted non-EU countries should be a priority. We should also explore how to
8
9
10
The EU law enforcement agency Europol, the EU agency for the management of operational cooperation at the
external borders Frontex, the EU judicial cooperation agency Eurojust, the European police college Cepol, the EU
agency for large-scale IT systems eu-LISA, and the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
EMCDDA.
EU Maritime Security Strategy (Council Conclusions of 24.6.2014); the Cyber Security Strategy (JOIN(2013) 1
final of 7.2.2013); the Strategy for Customs Risk Management (COM(2014) 527 final of 21.8.2014); the Strategic
Framework for European Cooperation in Education and Training (Council Conclusions of 12.5.2009); the EU
Youth Strategy (COM(2009) 200 final of 27.4.2009); EU strategy to step up the fight against cigarette smuggling
and other forms of illicit trade in tobacco products (COM(2013) 324 final of 6.6.2013). The Agenda also
complements ongoing initiatives such as the review of strategic export controls (COM(2014) 244 final of
24.4.2014).
The European Agenda on Migration is one of the initiatives of the Commission Work Programme for 2015.
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