media. In cooperation with IT companies, the Forum will also explore the concerns of law enforcement authorities on new encryption technologies. Tracking financial operations can be central to identifying terrorist networks, as terrorists rely on finance for travel, training and equipment. FIUs can help to identify financial operations of terrorist networks across borders and detect their financial backers. The EU-US Terrorist Financing Tracking Programme (TFTP) allows Member States to request a search of financial data when there is reasonable suspicion of terrorist activity. To date, TFTP has provided leads relating to numerous terrorist suspects and their support networks. Member States and their competent authorities should make more active use of the possibilities under the TFTP. The forthcoming embedment of FIU.NET with Europol will further enhance capabilities in the fight against terrorist financing. The Commission will also explore the need for and possible benefits of additional measures in the area of terrorism financing, including measures relating to the freezing of terrorist assets under Article 75 TFEU, to illicit trade in cultural goods, to the control of forms of payment such as internet transfers and pre-paid cards, to illicit cash movements and to the strengthening of the cash controls Regulation30. The EU needs a solid criminal justice response to terrorism, covering investigation and prosecution of those who plan terrorist acts or are suspected of recruitment, training, and financing of terrorism as well as incitement to commit a terrorist offence. Many Member States already have or plan laws to criminalise these acts. More coherent laws against foreign terrorist fighters-related offences across the EU would address the cross-border practical and legal challenges in the gathering and admissibility of evidence in terrorism cases, and to deter departures to conflict zones. The Commission will launch an impact assessment in 2015 with a view to updating the 2008 Framework Decision on Terrorism in 2016.31 UN Security Council Resolution 2178 requires states to criminalise travel to a conflict zone for terrorist purposes , helping to build a common understanding of the offences of foreign terrorist fighters.The new legislative framework should open the door to intensified cooperation with third countries on foreign terrorist fighters – building on recent positive experiences of cooperation with Turkey. One way to disrupt the activities of terrorist networks is to make it more difficult to attack targets and to access and deploy dangerous substances, such as Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear materials and explosives precursors. Protecting critical infrastructures, such as transport infrastructure, and soft targets, for instance at mass public events, present real challenges for law enforcement, public health authorities and civil protection authorities. The EU and the Member States cooperate to assess risks, evaluate mitigation strategies, gather best practices and produce guidance. The Commission helps practitioners by developing handbooks to assist their daily work, for example in the area of aviation security. Terrorism in Europe feeds on extremist ideologies. EU action against terrorism therefore needs to address the root causes of extremism through preventive measures. Throughout the EU, the link between radicalisation and extremist violence is becoming ever clearer. Extremist propaganda has been shown to lead foreign terrorist fighters from Europe to travel abroad to train, fight and commit atrocities in combat zones, and to threaten the internal security of the EU on their return. Strengthening the EU’s own 30 31 Regulation 1889/2005 of 26.10.2005. This will take into account the negotiations on an Additional Protocol supplementing the Council of Europe Convention on the Prevention of Terrorism. 14