Cities and regions need anti-terror plan, says Mayor

The Mayor of Rotterdam has presented a report to the Committee of the Regions demanding more focus on cities and regions in EU anti-terror action plans.

The report, prepared by the Mayor of Rotterdam, Ivo Opstelten, was formally adopted by the Committee of the Regions (CoR) at a meeting on 16 February 2006.

The report states that cities and regions are in the frontline of the fight against terrorism, organised crime, violence and the response to natural disasters. However, their crucial role is not sufficiently recognised in current Hague programme action plans. 

Mayor Opstelten said that targeting preventative and response actions at local city and regional level was essential to promote confidence among ordinary citizens that effective action was being taken.

Opstelten also stressed the importance of policies to foster the integration of migrants into communities (see Immigration linksdossier).

Justice Commissioner Frattini will address a meeting of the Parliament’s Committee on civil liberties on 23 February where the issues of prevention policies on crime and terrorism and the participation of citizens will be discussed.

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