11 March 2026 16:01 UTC · European Commission · EU Commission Press Release · Source · Email X Link

European Commission says remembrance urges stronger counterterrorism measures

Key points

Remembers victims and survivors of 2016 Brussels, Nice, and Berlin attacks
Presents ProtectEU agenda focused on prevention and youth protection

TL;DR

Commissioner Brunner honours victims and survivors at the 22nd European Remembrance Day, marking the 10th anniversary of the 2016 Brussels, Nice, and Berlin attacks.
Brunner notes a recent bomb in Liege that damaged a synagogue and says it adds urgency to the EU response.
Brunner describes the ProtectEU Counterterrorism Agenda with actions for law enforcement, stopping the financing of terrorism, tackling firearms trafficking, and a central focus on prevention and protecting youth from radicalisation.

Original text

European Commission - Speech [Check Against Delivery] Opening Remarks by Commissioner Brunner at the 22nd Annual EU Remembrance Day for the Victims of Terrorism Brussels, 11 March 2026 Dear victims and survivors of terrorism, First of all, thank you for being here today. I also want to thank those victims and survivors who I know are joining the ceremony online. Your courage and endurance is an inspiration, and a call to action for us to remember, to honour, and to stand united in memory of those we have lost. I would also like to thank the Belgian Government and Prime Minister De Wever for co-organising, and The Young Belgian Strings for their beautiful musical prelude. Today as we mark the 22 nd European Remembrance Day of Terrorism, we remember and pay tribute to all victims and survivors. And because this year marks the 10 th anniversary, we especially remember the attacks that took place in Brussels in March of 2016, and in Nice and Berlin later that same year. The Brussels attacks struck at the heart of our European Union. Seventeen Belgian lives were lost, but also those of EU nationals from five other Member States, and from four countries beyond the EU. And the attackers did not care - the target was all of us. It was our openness, our way of life, and our diversity. We remember our colleague Patrizia Rizzo, of the European Research Council, who lost her life that day. And we acknowledge Pascal Férir and his wife; and Gauthier, their son — who are survivors and victims of these attacks. We also remember the attack in Nice that followed a few months later. And we acknowledge Amal Khalife, who survived that attack. And finally, we remember the victims and the survivors of the Berlin Christmas Market attack, that took place in December of 2016. This year, we have the honour of having with us the children of victims. Their pain – but also their courage – are a strong reminder that the effects of terrorism do not stop with the victims. Terrorism leaves a mark on families, friends, generations. 2016 also marked a change in the nature of the terrorist threat. We saw the beginning of a new kind of terrorism – small scale, low-tech, but fuelled by the radical narratives that often spread online and that feed on the geopolitical tensions that are growing again today. Violence breeds more violence. As if we needed a reminder that these threats are still with us, we got one in the early hours of Monday, in Liege, when a bomb exploded in front of a Synagogue. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but it struck into the heart of a religious community, shattered their sense of security and inviolability. It only adds urgency to our response. Preserving our openness and diversity does not mean that we have to be a soft target. A few weeks ago, we launched our new ProtectEU: Counterterrorism Agenda, with a strong set of actions to protect our citizens against future strikes – everything from more resources and tools for law enforcement, to stopping the financing of terrorism and the trafficking of firearms. We need to assert our European way of life. The Agenda's central focus is on prevention – especially on protecting our youth from radicalisation. It follows the logic that we all have a role in stopping the spread of radical extremism – parents, teachers, religious leaders, as well as the authorities. Belgium is a strong partner in these efforts, and therefore I am very glad to be able to welcome the Prime Minister, Bart De Wever, who will share his perspective with us. SPEECH/26/597

European Commission says remembrance urges stronger counterterrorism measures

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