Internal security in the European Union: research programmes and cooperation policies

Abstract

This research aims at providing a review of internal security in the European Union, from the legal and political aspects, such as the latest treaties, the strategic plans launched by the Council, and continuing with a description of the evolution of security in the research programmes financed by the EU. Together with the temporal reconstruction of events, also some current political matters will emerge, even if they cannot be investigated in an exhaustive way: examples are the complex situation of the management of asylum seekers, or the social and economic difficulties which States have to fight extremist terrorism. Two case studies will be analyzed, respectively one EU funded project on the legal and ethical consequences of mass surveillance in Europe, and one on the creation of a new technology for smart border control. The aim of this work is to provide knowledge about the actions which the EU has been taking in the field of internal security, since it is one of the most discussed, worrying and controversial question of the latest years of European politics, and since EU policies influence national governments and citizens' life.