Poll: Most Europeans Believe Brussels Is Losing the Fight With Terrorists

Shocked by recent terrorist attacks in the European Union, citizens are demanding that authorities take a more aggressive stance to provide security, as roughly three quarters of Europeans see the actions of Brussels in dealing with terror threats insufficient, according to a new survey posted Tuesday.

According to a poll commissioned by the European Parliament, some 82 percent of EU residents seek urgent action to tackle terrorism.

The highest demand for enhanced efforts to deal with terrorism comes from the southern flank of the EU, heavily affected by the ongoing migrant crisis. In countries including Cyprus, Portugal and Italy, over 90 percent of the population voted for an increased engagement by the EU to counter the problem.

In Eastern and Central Europe around 75 percent of Austrians, Croats and Poles want the EU to counter terrorism more aggressively.

Fear and expectation of additional terrorist attacks ranged from seven to 64 percent across the bloc, with the smallest figure from the tiny Balkan nation of Slovenia and the highest from France, a country which has recently been subjected to a row of bloody attacks.

Asked what immediate steps could improve security in the EU, about 40 percent of respondents noted three measures: prevention of terrorist group funding, increased research to root out the causes of the terrorism, and enhancing border control in the EU.

According to Xinhua, the European Parliament refuted proposed initiatives, saying that existing legislation has sufficient capacity to deal with the problem.

Parliamentarians suggested that better cooperation between member states would improve security, including increased intelligence sharing across the bloc, in the framework of the Schengen Information System and the Europol Information System.

Currently, the EU is working on new proposals to mark terrorist-associated activities such as outlawing travel abroad to provide or receive training in Jihadist camps. Brussels is struggling with the implementation of a system to improve EU border checks.

In 2015 some 211 terrorist acts were "failed, foiled or completed" across the EU, killing 151 and injuring 360, according to Belfast Telegraph, citing Europol.

Europol chief Rob Wainwright stated that Europe “currently faces a shifting and increasing range of threats emanating from jihadist groups and individuals.”

Among all EU members, recent jihadist attacks have consistently focused on France, with increased in Paris November 2015 and in Nice last July.