The EU's Legal Approach to Counterterrorism — Christian Kaunert

27. 2. 2024

This episode of The IR thinker examines the European Union’s counterterrorism legal framework with Professor Christian Kaunert, exploring how terrorism is defined, how key instruments are implemented across member states, and how financial tracking and international cooperation shape EU practice. The discussion also considers human rights safeguards, the challenge of online radicalisation, gaps in the existing framework and promising directions for future research on EU counterterrorism policy.

Christian Kaunert

Christian Kaunert is Professor of International Security at the School of Law and Government at Dublin City University and Professor of Policing and Security at the University of South Wales, where he directs the International Centre for Policing and Security and serves as a Jean Monnet Chair. His work focuses on European security, counterterrorism and justice and home affairs cooperation.

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Content

00:00 - Introduction
02:35 - The EU Definition of Terrorism and Its Implications
09:25 - General vs Specific Definitions of Terrorism: A Comparative Analysis
11:41 - Dissemination of Terrorism Definitions to National Member States’ Legal Codes
13:31 - Fundamental Legal Instruments in EU Counterterrorism Framework
28:27 - Tracking Financial Flows in Counterterrorism Operations
35:15 - Comparison between the Council of Europe and the European Council in Counterterrorism Efforts
40:43 - International Cooperation in Counterterrorism and the Role of the EU
48:05 - EU Initiatives towards Non-Western Countries and Reciprocal Engagement
52:29 - Human Rights Considerations within EU Counterterrorism Strategies
57:34 - EU Institutions Involved in Counterterrorism Efforts
01:00:19 - Gaps and Missing Elements in the EU’s Counterterrorism Legal Framework
01:04:53 - Addressing Radicalisation through Online Content Regulation
01:08:01 - Suggestions for Further Research in EU Counterterrorism Policies and Strategies