| Project Detail |
Tackling the foreign fighter threat in the EU
Foreign fighters pose significant security risks to the EU, including radicalisation, criminal activity, and weapons trafficking. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine further complicates the foreign fighters issue, adding to the existing challenges of conceptual ambiguity and inadequate countermeasures. Effective prevention, deradicalisation, and reintegration strategies are urgently needed. Despite these pressing concerns, current responses remain fragmented and insufficient. Supported by the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) programme, the EUFF project aims to evaluate legislation, policies, and security measures in EU Member States. It will develop a conceptual framework, assess interventions, and provide multifaceted recommendations. By addressing legal, policy, practical, and academic dimensions, the project seeks to enhance the EU’s ability to counter and prevent foreign fighters.
This project aims to comprehensively evaluate legislation, policies, security measures, and the conceptual ambiguity surrounding foreign fighters (FF) in European Union (EU) member states. It also seeks to assess interventions for FF prevention and reintegration and provide multifaceted recommendations spanning legal, policy, practical, and academic dimensions. The study addresses the evolving FF phenomenon, especially considering the ongoing Ukraine conflicts potential impact on the EU.
FF present persistent security risks, including radicalisation, criminal involvement, weapons trafficking, and continued engagement in conflicts. Despite these challenges, there remains conceptual vagueness and a lack of effective measures to address FF comprehensively. To respond adequately, governments and international organisations, such as the EU, need robust policy measures and intervention strategies for FF prevention, deradicalization, and reintegration.
This research project will systematically analyse legislative, policy, and security responses to FF across EU member states, develop a conceptual framework, assess interventions, and generate actionable recommendations. These recommendations will span legal reforms, policy enhancements, practical measures, and academic contributions. By providing a holistic approach, this project will significantly contribute to understanding and addressing the FF challenge in the EU, ultimately improving policy development, security, and counter-terrorism efforts.
In summary, this research will offer vital insights into FF, enabling more effective responses to this complex and evolving threat. It will enhance the EUs ability to counter and prevent FF and mitigate the associated security risks, benefiting not only EU member states but also international efforts to combat terrorism and extremism. |
