EUROPOL AND THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM IN THE EUROPEAN UNION: A STUDY FROM FRANCE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SECURITY GOVERNANCE (2015-2021)

Abstract

Terrorism stands as one of the main threats to the security of the European Union today, with particular emphasis on jihadist terrorism, which has been responsible for a significant portion of the attacks across European territory. Although not exclusive to the 21st century, the manifestations of terrorism have evolved, demanding responses that go beyond actions taken at the national level. In this context, the emergence of institutional arrangements guided by the logic of security governance can be observed. This article analyzes the current terrorist threat and the strategies developed to address it within the European context, with an emphasis on Europol’s role as the central agency for supranational police cooperation. The study adopts a qualitative approach and focuses, as an empirical case, on France — the country most affected by jihadist attacks between 2015 and 2021. The results demonstrate that Europol's actions significantly contribute to mitigating the terrorist threat on the continent, especially through strategic coordination and intelligence sharing. However, its effectiveness directly depends on coordination with national institutions and the asymmetric responses of the Member States. In this context, France exemplifies both the advances and the limitations of European security governance. It concludes that Europol plays a significant role in mitigating terrorism in the European Union, although its effectiveness depends on coordination with national institutions and does not operate as an exclusive mechanism for counterterrorism.