In a presentation before the European Parliament last week, EU security commissioner Franco Frattini outlined a new set of anti-terror proposals, including plans for a Europol explosives database, airplane passenger list databases, and legislation that would criminalize publication of bomb-making instructions on the Internet.

The proposals are based on the findings of a research group that included law enforcement officials and experts from private industry. "I have received what I think will prove to be a ground-breaking report from a public-private expert group which I have established which contains around 50 valuable recommendations to improve the security of explosives, precursors and detonators across the EU," said Frattini. "These recommendations will form the basis for the EU Action Plan which should be adopted in November."

Few details are available to provide insight into the specifics of the proposed program, but it will clearly involve criminalizing dissemination of some information that could potentially be used for terrorist activity. "You can find detailed instructions on all kinds of terrorist tactics, including the production of explosives, on the Internet," said Frattini. "These forms of behaviour will be made punishable across the EU."

Frattini also discussed plans to establish "an EU Explosives database at Europol, with links to the responsible services in the Member States, an early warning system so that these services are informed quickly, for example when explosives have been stolen, or a new terrorist modus operandi is discovered from credible intelligence informations."

Another part of the new proposals relates to airplane Passenger Name Record (PNR) policies. Frattini says that the precise nature of the PNR policy changes are still being discussed, but "the Commission's main intention is to ensure that each Member State collects the PNR records, processes them and, where appropriate, exchanges them with others."

It is difficult to judge the soundness of these plans without more details about their potential scope and nature. If legislation banning publication of bomb-making instructions is too broad and doesn't include appropriate exceptions, it could theoretically put chemistry sites at risk. We have seen in the past that Internet censorship laws—even ones that stem from good intentions—often have unanticipated negative consequences.

The existing PNR infrastructure has received criticism in the past and is already considered excessive by some. Attempts to expand the program could be met with hostility by EU citizens.

These proposals reflect growing concern with domestic terrorism in Europe. Specifically in reference to the PNR program, Frattini explains that recent attempted terrorist attacks in the EU justify a shift in focus. "The Commission thinks the time has come to change focus and devote resources to the security of the Union. The Union is at least as much a potential target of a terrorist attack as the United States," Frattini said.