Dutch counterterrorism strategy in light of EU policy

Scott Douglas gave a presentation during the Renforce Conference about the evaluation of the Dutch counterterrorism strategy he conducted in the light of the EU policy and strategy.

Terrorisms needs to be countered with interventions which are effective, legitimate, and robust, all at the same time. The counterterrorism strategies of European and national governments do indeed intend to offer such a multi-dimensional approach on paper, but may struggle to realize it in practice.

The counterterrorism strategies of European and national governments do intend to offer a multi-dimensional approach on paper, but may struggle to realize it in practice.

This presentation focused on the challenges in organizing such this response, based on an evaluation of the Dutch counterterrorism response between 2011 and 2015. Key challenges included (1) mobilizing a comprehensive response involving both repressive security measures and preventive social measures, and (2) orchestrating a response across multiple levels of government, aligning European and national and local interventions.

Beyond exploring these challenges, Douglas also highlighted how several local mayors, police officers, and social workers manage to overcome these obstacles and still deliver an effective, legitimate, and robust response.