Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
On the eve of the 20th European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism, which falls on 11 March every year, the European Commission in Brussels issued the following statement: “On the European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism, we honor the memory of all those who have tragically fallen victim to terrorist acts, both on the territory of the European Union and Or beyond our borders. This year holds special significance as we commemorate the attack that occurred in Madrid two decades ago. The memory of the victims will live on. It will serve as a poignant reminder of the lasting impact of terrorism.
With unwavering unity, we defend our cherished values of peace, respect and solidarity. We will not allow terrorists to spread fear and hatred in our society. The Committee remains steadfast in its commitment to combating terrorism. In 2020, the Commission put forward the EU Counter-Terrorism Agenda in order to better anticipate, prevent, protect and respond to terrorist threats. Since then, much progress has been made, particularly in tackling the spread of terrorist content online. Removing this content, including footage of previous attacks posted online, is critical to protecting the dignity and well-being of victims and preventing extremism. Since December 2023, with the introduction of the Online Terrorist Content Regulation, more than 300 orders to remove online terrorist content have been successfully implemented. The EU Home Affairs Agencies provide crucial support to national authorities and law enforcement in this work.
Moreover, combating terrorism means standing by its victims. The Committee is strongly committed to supporting victims as they rebuild their lives. Under the EU Strategy on Victims' Rights (2020-2025), we recognize that victims of terrorism require specialized support and protection. Through initiatives such as the EU Center of Expertise for Victims of Terrorism, we ensure the effective application of EU rules on victims' rights and work to raise awareness about the rights and needs of victims of terrorism in the EU. Through the Extremism Awareness Network, we also ensure that the voices of victims and survivors are taken into account in our response to terrorism.
On this Memorial Day, we renew our resolve to support victims and promote inclusive and resilient societies.
The European Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism was established after the Madrid bombings on 11 March 2004. Every year since 2005, the European Union remembers on this date the victims of terrorist atrocities around the world.
The counter-terrorism agenda is one of the outcomes of moving forward in the field of internal security, a key element of the Security Union Strategy adopted by the Commission in July 2020. The counter-terrorism agenda aims to identify vulnerabilities and build capacities to anticipate threats; Preventing attacks by countering extremism; Enhancing security through design and reducing vulnerabilities to protect cities and people; Intensify operational support, prosecution and victims' rights to better respond to attacks.
Through its Working Group on Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism, the Extremism Awareness Network presents the experiences of victims, contributes to the remembrance of all victims of terrorism, and highlights the humanitarian consequences of violent extremism. Victim rights and support are also at the heart of the work of the European Network of Associations for Victims of Terrorism, established by the Commission.
Removing online terrorist content, such as footage from previous attacks, is key to protecting the dignity and mental health of victims. The Terrorist Online Content Regulation (TCO) plays a key role in this regard. The TCO requires that terrorist content be removed (or access to it blocked) within one hour of receipt of the removal order. As reported, the regulation had a positive impact in addressing the dissemination of terrorist content online following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
Ensuring that victims of crime, including victims of terrorism, can rely on their rights is important to ensure support and protection for victims. The European Union has put in place a strong legal framework to protect victims across Europe. EU rules on victims' rights include an EU-wide compensation scheme and the Counter-Terrorism Directive. In June 2023, the Commission adopted a proposal to revise the Victims' Rights Directive to strengthen the rights of victims in the EU and the Counter-Terrorism Directive. In June 2023, the Commission adopted a proposal to revise the Victims' Rights Directive to strengthen victims' rights in the EU. In 2020, the Commission also established the European Union Center of Expertise for Victims of Terrorism to provide expertise, guidance and support to national authorities and victim support organisations.