The European Union and the US Wednesday expressed strong concern with the rise of violent extremism, based on the rejection of democratic values and motivated by hate, racism, xenophobia.
They stressed their willingness to work jointly to identify and take effective action in situations in which violent extremist groups cooperate transnationally for committing criminal offenses, said a joint statement released after an EU-US ministerial meeting on Justice and Interior Affairs held in Stockholm, Sweden earlier today.
Both sides stressed the need to further address the significant challenges arising from the spread of terrorist and violent extremist content online.
They encouraged companies to take action to prevent misuse of their platforms to promote violence and exploit children.
The EU and the US reaffirmed the importance of effective information sharing to combat terrorism and welcomed the continued sharing by the US Department of Justice of terrorist information, including battlefield evidence, with Europol.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to intensify their cooperation against environmental crime, including working together on cross-border criminal investigations and prosecutions, as well as developing best practices.
The EU and the US said they remain committed to reinforcing cooperation against cross border organized criminal networks, in particular, those involved in the illicit manufacture and trafficking of cocaine and synthetic drugs, including fentanyl.
Further, the two sides once again condemned Russia’s war against Ukraine and reaffirmed their unwavering support for Ukraine.
They discussed their intent to deepen their cooperation in assisting Ukraine in the area of justice reform and the rule of law.
The EU at the meeting was represented by the EU Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, the EU Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders, as well as the Swedish Minister for Justice Gunnar Strommer.
Sweden holds the current EU Presidency.
The incoming EU Presidency was represented by the Spanish Minister of Justice Maria Pilar Llop Cuenca and the Spanish Minister of the Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska.
The US was represented by Attorney General Merrick Garland and Secretary for Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas.
Source: Kuwait News Agency