On 11 March 2012 the European Union commemorates the 8th European Day in Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism and EU Commissioner Cecilia Malmström stressed that is a time for commemoration and remembrance, a time for solidarity and encouragement. Gilles de Kerchove, EU Counter-terrorism coordinator highlighted that more has to be done to make the voices of victims heard in public and to devote more attention to victims, their families, friends and relatives and less to the perpetrators.

On the 8th European Day in Remembrance of Victims of Terrorism which takes place on 11 March 2012, EU Commissioner responsible for Home Affairs, Cecilia Malmström underlined that this day is a time for commemoration and remembrance, a time for solidarity and  encouragement. She also added that the EU must undermine the efforts of terrorists to radicalise our youth and recruit new members.

Gilles de Kerchove, EU Counter-terrorism Coordinator, stressed that despite all European security efforts thousands of people still die from terrorist attacks every year. In view of Mr de Kerchove, more attention has to be given to the victims and their fate because while public life  gets back to normal some time after an attack, there is no normal life any more for survivors, families of victims, their relatives and friends. The suffering of victims does not stop with the end of the attack.

The EU Counter-terrorism Coordinator also points out that 2011 was also the year which brought at least some kind of relief, consolation or hope to many victims of terrorism. In October 2011, the Basque terrorist organisation ETA declared that it was putting a definitive end to its armed activity. The European Council welcomed the announcement on its conclusions from October 2011. And in May last year, Al Qaeda suffered a serious set-back with the death of Osama Bin Laden. However also in 2011 the most tragic events were the dreadful acts by a right-wing extremist in Norway in July 2011. 77 people were killed and more than 150 injured. Most of the victims were children and young men and women between 14 and 19 years old. Moreover, the discovery of a right-wing extremist group in November 2011 was a shock for German society. Ms Malmström, on the other hand, reminds that survivors will continue to play an important role in countering terrorism and spreading a message of non-violence and reconciliation to prevent others from suffering. She stresses that solidarity, tolerance and a firm belief in the respect of fundamental rights must remain our guiding principles.