Interview: Europe-wide anti-terror policy "a difficult passage": Belgian expert

European countries should be thinking together about a joint anti-terrorism policy, although achieving this will be "a difficult passage," a Belgian expert on sociology of terrorism has warned.

Firouzeh Nahavandi, professor at the Institute of Sociology of the Free University of Brussels (ULB), said in an interview with Xinhua that improved anti-terror measures across the European Union would have to mean sharing of information and intelligence at all levels.

She said: "It is certain that Europe should among others consider a European anti-terrorism policy. But as in other areas, a common policy is a difficult process to the extent that states must give up some of their powers and responsibilities -- and this jump is painful for some."

Nahavandi said past experience of European negotiations in areas such as migration policy and foreign policy showed that reaching an agreement on anti-terrorism policy would be difficult.

"The implementation of a policy of international cooperation has been long, the establishment of a common foreign policy likewise. We have seen recently that for migration policy, European countries have not managed to agree," she said.

Nahavandi added: "On terrorism, it would also mean sharing of information and intelligence at all levels, a difficult passage, even if it seems necessary."

She said France and Belgium needed to "adapt," and that recent attacks in Brussels and Paris showed "the existence of a subspace conducive to terrorism." Endit