Tackling the Nexus at the Supranational Level

This chapter examines the European Union approach toward the crime-terror nexus and presents the array of tools and measures the Organization can deploy to counter the phenomenon. It looks at the EU’s view on the nexus by analyzing relevant documentation issued by its institutions and agencies. Then, it reviews the mechanisms that are relevant for tackling it from a law enforcement and security perspective. It focuses on the instruments that favor the collection and sharing of criminal information/intelligence and discusses their main advantages and limits. It also reviews the initiatives covering specific areas of convergence or cooperation between terrorist and organized criminal groups, i.e.: 1) the generation of funds; 2) access to weapons, forged documents and other services, and 3) the recruitment of terrorists from the criminal milieu. Drawing on the results from a qualitative survey, the chapter concludes by providing recommendations for improving the EU response to the nexus.