Declaration of Commission Vice-President Frattini on London attacks

I am shocked by the news about the dreadful events happened in London today. This unfortunately confirms that terrorism is a permanent threat and has struck again at the very heart of Europe.

I express my deepest sympathy to the victims of these appalling acts and to the citizens of the United Kingdom in general.

However, I like to stress that this attack is not attack on the United Kingdom or its citizens only, but an attack on the whole of Europe and on all of us, all EU citizens. It is an attack on all those who defend and promote human rights and our shared values of freedom, liberty, justice and security.

Along with my Directorate-General Freedom, Security and Justice, I am in constant contact with the British Authorities. I have already offered to them, and to my friend and colleague Home Secretary Charles Clarke in particular, every support and assistance they may find useful.

The priority for the UK Presidency in the area of justice and home affairs already identified is that of security and it is a priority which I fully share and on which it is necessary to make progress in the next 6 months. On behalf of the European Commission I confirm the full commitment of the Commission to promote and accelerate concrete actions for preventing and reacting immediately to terrorist attacks. Next week, on 13 July 2005, the Commission will discuss further measures on the fight against terrorism; in particular a proposal for a terrorism related rapid response mechanism, enabling the EU to respond more efficiently and in a coordinated way to terrorist attacks such as these happened today.

These dreadful attacks again underpin the need to strengthen and accelerate the coordination and exchange of intelligence and other information between the relevant services and law enforcement authorities between the 25 Member States.

I have also been in contact with EU terrorism coordinator Gijs De Vries and we agreed to stay in close contact to ensure we can work in the most complementary way possible.

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• Joint statement on latest London attacks by Commission President Barroso and Vice President Frattini (21/7/2005)
• GAERC Conclusions on Terrorism (18/7/2005)
• Extraordinary Council meeting - EU Response to London Bombings (13/7/2005)
• Speech by President Barroso - The Commission's role in the fight against terror and its response to the London bombings (13/7/2005)
• EUHR Solana condemns terrorist attacks in London (7/7/2005)
• Statement by President Barroso on the London attacks (7/7/2005)
• EU Parliament President Borrell horrified by the terrorist attacks on London (7/7/2005)