Get terrorist propaganda off the internet

Samuel Paty wasn't protected and he should have been. The new law to get terrorism propaganda and incitement to violence off the internet urgently needs to be put in place. Ahead of tomorrow's trilogue negotiations, the EPP Group calls on the S&D and the Greens to stop putting ideology before security and stop blocking the new law.

"The brutal murder of teacher Samuel Paty in France by a radicalised Islamist was largely set out on social media with religiously motivated messages inciting violence. They were not hate messages; they were real incitement to crime. Despite this, the Left in the European Parliament continues to block a new law to stop the spread of terrorism and radicalisation propaganda on the internet", said Javier Zarzalejos MEP, EPP Group negotiator on the legislation to prevent the dissemination of terrorist content online.

"The EPP Group has insisted over and over again on the necessity of having a legal instrument that allows for swift and effective action against the dissemination of terrorist content online. To this purpose, we have been tabling proposals. Unfortunately, we have not found the same willingness in other political groups to take this legislation forward", stressed Zarzalejos.

"Particularly concerning are the Left’s attempts to unnecessarily complicate the procedure for cross-border removal orders. Their insistence upon an active confirmation of each order to take away terrorist propaganda will cause unnecessary administrative burdens. The package that was put on the table by the German Presidency includes a clear definition of what constitutes terrorist content. It also contains many safeguards that minimise the risk of abuse, including a right to raise fundamental rights concerns. However, we are ready to make every effort to reach an agreement on this law. We call on the other political groups to engage in this aim", he concluded.

Once adopted by the European Parliament and the Council, the new rules will apply to all internet companies offering services in the EU when they make content publicly available.