New EU Anti-Terror Chief grilled by East Midlands MEP

4.46.13pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 6th Apr 2004

East Midlands Liberal Democrat MEP Bill Newton Dunn questioned Mr Gijs de Vries in the European Parliament today. Mr de Vries is the new EU Council of Ministers' Coordinator on Terrorism, appointed two months ago, and was previously a Dutch Liberal MEP.

Mr. Newton Dunn asked De Vries how he will ensure full cooperation between the many separate security agencies in the EU 25.

De Vries replied that "every EU action has to take place within a legal framework." The EU can only take action when the 25 Member States have given it the power to do so. "The responsibility for fighting terrorism is primarily national", said de Vries. "The EU has only a supporting role".

Mr Newton Dunn believes that the problem is getting national parliaments and national governments to put into effect, and into their national laws, the agreements they make together in Brussels.

Only 6 out of 22 agreements made by the Council of Ministers have been transposed into all national laws - despite the promises made by national leaders.