On 7 April 2008, Europol presented its second EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT 2008) at the European Parliament in Brussels. This Report provides an overview of the situation regarding terrorism in the European Union from Europol’s strategic position of coordinator of the EU’s efforts to prevent and combat serious international organised crime.

The TE-SAT 2008 report collates all statistical data reported by member states on the terrorist attacks and plots in the EU as well as specific details on terrorist activities. Taking into account the disparities between member states with regards to the crimes which are respectively defined as terrorism or extremism, the TE-SAT 2008 also reports criminal acts committed by extremists groups. Eurojust, the permanent network of EU member states’ judicial authorities, also contributed data for this report.

In 2007, member states reported a total of 583 attacks and 1,044 arrested suspects in the EU. Eighty-eight percent of all those reported terrorist acts were separatist terrorist attacks targeting France and Spain, claimed by or attributed to Basque and Corsican separatists. The average age of arrested suspects was 35 years old, the vast majority being male EU citizens.

Europol, based in The Hague, is the European Police Office, which improves the effectiveness and cooperation of the competent authorities in the EU member states in preventing serious forms of international organised crime. Following a decision by the EU Commission in December 2006, Europol has become an agency of the EU and since 1 August 2007, all EU member states are part of Europol.

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