Communication on an Action Plan to support the protection of public spaces

Background and further information:

The Action Plan was developed following the trend by terrorists to increasingly target public and crowded spaces, as shown by attacks in Barcelona, London, Manchester and Stockholm.

Measures in this document include: increasing financial support, with funding from the Internal Security Fund (ISF) and from the Urban Innovative Actions; issuing of guidance material to help Member States address a range of issues related to the protection of public spaces and raising public awareness; setting up specialised forums for exchanging expertise and best practice, like a Practitioners' Forum and a High-Risk Security Network; improving cooperation between local actors and the private sector, through the set up of an Operators' Forum.

This Action Plan was set out in the context of the development of a Security Union and published as part of an anti-terrorism package.

The European Commission adopted on 18 October 2017 an Action Plan aiming to step up the support to Member States efforts to protect and reduce the vulnerability of public spaces.

• Primary Source

European Commission: DG Communication: IP/17/3947, 18.10.17: Security Union: Commission presents new measures to better protect EU citizens http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-3947_en.htm

European Commission: DG Communication: MEMO/17/3982, 18.10.17: Questions & Answers on Anti-Terrorism Package http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-17-3982_en.htm

European Commission: DG Communication: SPEECH/17/4042, 18.10.17: Remarks by Commissioner King at the press conference on the anti-terrorism package http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-17-4042_en.htm

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