GUE/NGL opposes a backroom deal between the EPP and ALDE for the creation of a so-called special committee on terrorism at the European Parliament.
 
GUE/NGL MEP Cornelia Ernst – the group’s coordinator in the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) – commented:
 
“This move sidesteps the democratic process of the LIBE Committee in favour of a right-wing forum where the interests of the two groups are served.”
 
“It seems that the two right-wing groups do not want to engage politically with the centre and left groups and instead, seek to create a forum where they can solidify a false dichotomy between security and fundamental rights.”
 
GUE/NGL has consistently condemned violence and terrorism, standing firmly in solidarity with the victims: “It is because we deeply care about the security of European citizens that we advocate for a targeted and efficient approach to fighting terrorism that is proven to work,” the German MEP added. 
 
Ernst said that the group has asked the Commission on several occasions to evaluate existing EU counter-terrorism measures on their efficiency while questioning mechanisms whose efficacy are doubtful such as the PNR and TFTP:
 
“It is totally unreasonable and a waste of public money to initiate a 'new' committee when a parallel process to evaluate all counter-terrorism measures is taking place under the newly appointed Commissioner for the Security Union Julian King and at the request of the LIBE committee – the only committee with the prerogative of dealing with these legal proposals in the field of police and judicial cooperation.”
 
“If there are to be changes to the EU security policy following this evaluation, all the legislative proposals will have to be dealt with by the LIBE Committee, turning the role of this special committee redundant.”
 
“This seems to be nothing more than a cosy right-wing filibustering committee whose goal is to preach their positions to the choir, with no real interest in engaging on a genuine democratic debate about security and fundamental rights,” Ernst concluded.