Three Paradigms, Two Decades – Paradigm Shifts in the EU’s Counter-Terrorism Policy

A Comparative Analysis of the EU’s Counter-Terrorism Strategies 2005 – 2020 – 2024/2025

Abstract

Introduction: Over the past two decades, the European Union’s counter-terrorism policy has been articulated through several comprehensive strategic documents that responded to different security challenges and institutional contexts. However, it remains insufficiently explored to what extent these documents represent genuine paradigm shifts and what structural logic has guided the evolution of the EU’s approach.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to provide a comparative analysis of the EU’s counter-terrorism strategies, with a particular focus on changes in their strategic orientation.

Methodology: The research is based on qualitative document analysis of the European Union Counter-Terrorism Strategy (2005), the Counter-Terrorism Agenda (2020), the 2024 Council Conclusions, and the 2025 ProtectEU Strategy. Within a historical approach grounded in European terrorism trends, the study compares the circumstances of their adoption, threat perceptions, and strategic objectives.

Results: The analysis demonstrates that the three strategic periods represent distinct security policy paradigms. The 2005 strategy primarily adopted a reactive, state-centred, and attack-focused approach, shaped by the impact of 9/11 and the Madrid and London attacks. The 2020 Counter-Terrorism Agenda responded to the growing importance of radicalisation, prevention, and the online environment within a more integrated institutional framework. The 2024–2025 documents interpret terrorism within the broader context of hybrid threats, geopolitical instability, and technological risks, placing emphasis on resilience, critical infrastructure protection, and societal preparedness. Accordingly, the strategic logic has shifted from a traditional counter-terrorism approach towards comprehensive security policy integration.

Conclusion: The study concludes that the EU’s counter-terrorism policy has not merely evolved incrementally but has undergone fundamental paradigm shifts in several phases. The focus has moved from reaction to prevention, and subsequently to complex threat management. A particularly important direction for future research is the examination of terrorism within the broader system of complex security threats.