European Approaches to Homeland Security and Counterterrorism
Abstract
The September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States and the subsequent attacks on European countries such as the United Kingdom and Spain have prompted both sides of the Atlantic to reinvigorate their respective efforts to ensure homeland security and combat terrorism. However, U.S. and European approaches to these issues differ. While the United States has embarked on a wholesale reorganization of its domestic security and border protection institutions, European countries have largely preferred to work within their existing institutional architectures to combat terrorism and respond to other security challenges and disasters, both natural and man-made. This report examines homeland security and counterterrorist measures in six selected European countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. None of these European countries currently has a single ministry or department equivalent to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In most of these countries, responsibility for different aspects of homeland security and counterterrorism is scattered across several ministries or different levels of government.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 24, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA453727
Entities
People
- Carl Ek
- Francis T. Miko
- Kristin Archick
- Paul E. Gallis
- Steven Woehrel
Organizations
- Library of Congress