Extremism in Europe linked to integration failures, the EU warns

French Prime Minister Jean Castex, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, French Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti, and French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin pay tribute outside the Bataclan concert venue, in Paris. EPA

A woman looks out from her window as tributes are paid outside La Belle Equipe bar in Paris. AFP

Anne Hidalgo, Jean Castex, Gerald Darmanin and Eric Dupond-Moretti pay tribute outside Le Carillon bar and Le Petit Cambodge restaurant. AFP

Anne Hidalgo and Jean Castex lay flowers outside La Bonne Biere cafe. EPA

Anne Hidalgo and Jean Castex look on during ceremonies marking the fifth anniversary of the November 2015 attacks. Reuters

People are evacuated near the Bataclan concert hall in central Paris, following the series of coordinated attacks by gunmen in November 2015. AFP

In this file photo spectators gather on the pitch of the Stade de France stadium after a series of gun attacks occurred across Paris in November 2015. AFP

Rescuers evacuate a man on a stretcher near the Bataclan concert hall in central Paris, in November 2015. AFP

Violent extremism in the European Union has been linked to a failure to ensure migrants can integrate.

Interior ministers have now agreed to tighten the bloc’s borders and impose tougher controls on violent extremism posted online.

The measures comes after attacks in France and Austria, and a continuing clash over cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

Europol warned on Friday that coronavirus lockdowns – with people spending weeks at home – meant more people were likely to come under the influence of radicalisers, partly because of an increase in propaganda spread online.

But now the EU is looking at ways to tackle both problems at the border and violent online content.

“Integration is a two-way street. This means that migrants are expected to make an active effort to become integrated, while help in this regard is important,” the ministers’ declaration said.

“Organisations that do not act in accordance with relevant legislation and support content that is contrary to fundamental rights and freedoms should not be supported by public funding, neither on national nor on European level,” the statement added.

“Also, the undesirable foreign influencing of national civil and religious organisations through non-transparent financing should be limited.”

Member states would, it said, protect "religious expression which is both peaceful and respectful of the laws adopted by our member states. This applies equally to all religions".

"Our fight against terrorism is not directed against any religious or political beliefs, but against fanatical and violent extremism," the statement said.

The meeting concluded on Friday the fifth anniversary of the Bataclan attacks in Paris

"We reaffirm our determination to do everything in our power to counter this barbaric terror," the EU interior ministers said.

They hope to finalise negotiations with EU institutions by the end of 2020.

"The aim is to enable issuing removal orders with cross-border effect to create a new and rapid and effective instrument to counter terrorist content online within an hour or less of its being reported," a statement said.

It added that while border security would remain the responsibility of member states, there would be support for efforts to build co-ordinated EU security databases.

"The competent authorities need to know who enters the Schengen area and who travels within it," they said, referring to Europe's passport-free travel zone.

"We must effectively control our external borders, record entries and departures from the Schengen area in digital form, and co-operate more closely with third countries in order to combat terrorist threats."

The Schengen zone covers most EU members, along with Norway, Iceland, Switzerland and Lichtenstein.