Olgierd Geblewicz (PL/EPP), President of the West Pomerania Region, has been appointed rapporteur by the CIVEX Commission of the European Committee of the Regions’ opinion on the “Protect EU: Agenda to Prevent and Counter Terrorism.”
The opinion aims to strengthen the European Union’s capacity to anticipate and respond to security threats, with a strong focus on preventing radicalisation, protecting citizens and critical infrastructure, and enhancing resilience across public spaces. It will also highlight the essential role of local and regional authorities, which in many Member States hold key competences in areas such as prevention, community resilience, and the protection of public spaces.
In his first reaction, Mr Geblewicz said: "Hybrid warfare and extremist “holy war” are not the future - they are already the present in the European Union. They manifest in acts of terror such as attacks on railway infrastructure, attempts to derail trains, arson, and cyberattacks. One such attack, which paralyzed the operations of the largest hospital in my region, occurred recently."
"To effectively counter these types of threats, work must begin at the very local level - in every city and region. We must rapidly raise awareness and vigilance among our residents, as well as their readiness to cooperate with public services as part of prevention efforts. We need education and sustained efforts to reduce radicalization. We also need effective protection of public infrastructure against terrorism - critical systems for which we, local and regional authorities, are responsible: water supply, transport, and hospitals. Internal security begins at the local level." added Olgierd Geblewicz.
The opinion builds on previous work of the Committee of the Regions, including contributions on the protection of public spaces (2018) and combating terrorism (2021), as well as ongoing discussions on EU support for internal security financing under the Protect EU framework.
Background
The European Commission’s ProtectEU agenda on preventing and countering terrorism, presented in February 2026, is part of the broader European Internal Security Strategy. It aims to reinforce Europe’s collective response to evolving terrorist and violent extremist threats through a comprehensive set of cross-sectoral actions.
The agenda focuses on improving the EU’s ability to anticipate threats, prevent radicalisation, protect people both online and in public spaces, and strengthen cooperation between Member States and international partners. It also responds to emerging challenges such as the misuse of digital technologies, the increasing online radicalisation of young people, and the growing complexity of the security landscape.
Timeline:
The draft opinion is scheduled for discussion and adoption in the CIVEX Commission on 9 June, with final adoption at the Committee of the Regions plenary session in October 2026.