The EU’s role as a security provider and the relationship between external and internal security were reaffirmed by the European Council in December 2013. The European Agenda on Security published in April 2015 stated that EU internal security and global security are mutually dependent and interlinked. The EU’s response to today’s security concerns must therefore be comprehensive and based on a coherent set of actions combining the internal and external dimensions, to further reinforce the links between Justice and Home Affairs and Common Security and Defence Policy. On 27 March 2017, the Council decided to continue the EU Policy Cycle for organised and serious international crime for the period 2018-2021 which aims to tackle the most important threats posed by organised and serious international crime in a coherent and methodological manner through improving and strengthening cooperation between the relevant services of the Member States, EU institutions and EU agencies as well as third countries and organisations, including the private sector where relevant. This multidisciplinary aspect involves cooperation between different actors at national, EU and international level and the integration and alignment of the wide range of activities developed to address the EU’s priorities relating to crime, including administrative approaches, prevention campaigns and strategic and operational activities.

This seminar will therefore focus on the external-internal security nexus and the increasing involvement of the European Commission and relevant EU agencies in the Area of Justice and Home Affairs in security matters; special attention will be devoted to the relationship between the communitarian EU institutions, the CSDP actors (the European External Action Service and the European Defence Agency), Member States, enlargement and the European Neighbourhood countries, key strategic partners, and relevant international and regional organisations. Closer cooperation and coordination in this environment are much needed, but is seriously hampered by political, juridical, and financial issues at EU level as well as by separate structures in the Member States.

The seminar comprises two modules.

The first one will address the interlinked and mutually dependent internal and external dimensions of the EU Area of Security. It deals with the question of developing further specific actions in a wide range of EU policies contributing to security objectives including cybersecurity, in response to the external-internal security nexus. What consequences would there be for the actors involved, for cooperation between EU institutions and, last but not least, for the interaction with Member States, enlargement and European Neighbourhood countries, key strategic partners, and relevant international and regional organisations.

The second module will address the policies, legal and institutional framework, key instruments and practical tools enabling the EU to detect and counter the complex cross-border and cross-sectorial threats and challenges: terrorism, organised crime and cybercrime. This module will also consider the relationship between security and the protection of fundamental rights and the compliance of all security measures with the principles of necessity, proportionality and legality, with appropriate safeguards to ensure accountability and judicial redress.

Learning methodology:

The methodology will consist of a combination of presentations, discussions, practical examples and case studies, enabling participants to derive as much as possible from the complementary practical experience of the facilitators.

Objectives:

The overall objective of this seminar is to enhance the national capacity through the understanding of the external-internal security nexus and the increasing involvement of the European institutions and relevant EU agencies in the area of Justice and Home Affairs in security matters. It will also consider how an interface with the nominally external aspects of the Common Foreign and Security Policy with the Area of Justice and Home Affairs might be developed. Participants will acquire in-depth knowledge on the external dimension of the European criminal law enforcement area (meaning, sanctions) and a practical understanding of the role of EU agencies, bodies, networks and communication platforms as information hubs, helping in the implementation of the EU law and playing a crucial role in supporting operational cooperation such as joint cross-border actions.

Who is this course for:

National public officials, justice professionals, legal counsellors, legal officers and technical staff of national public administration and ministries, practicing lawyers, EU staff.