Terrorism is a universal scourge that knows no border, nationality or religion. It is therefore a challenge that the international community must tackle together. NATO contributes to the international fight against terrorism in multiple areas, and through various means. The Alliance’s activities in the fight against terrorism are in strict accordance with UN principles and international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law.

The multifaceted nature of terrorism is such that NATO has engaged in a number of initiatives – political, operational, conceptual, military, technological, scientific and economic,– to address this issue. As a consequence many areas of NATO’s activity are nowadays involved in the fight against terrorism.

The Alliance contributes a range of assets to the international community in the fight against terrorism. First, NATO is a permanent Transatlantic consultation forum, capable of transforming discussions into collective decisions. Second, NATO is backed by military capabilities at the Alliance’s disposal. Third, NATO is part of a very large network of partnerships involving other states and international organizations.

A permanent forum for consultations

In essence, one of NATO’s key strengths is to provide a permanent Transatlantic forum for consultations in security-related matters.

Since the fight against terrorism has been identified as a core element of the Alliance’s work, NATO has established regular dialogue on terrorism and terrorism-related issues among its members, as well as with non-member countries and other international organizations. It has developed an extensive network of cooperative relationships with many partners, who equally share the desire to face up to the threat of terrorism.

Regular consultations help develop and promulgate common views of the nature of the threats we face, and the appropriate responses to them. They also create strong Allied and partner unity in confronting terrorism, sending an important political signal that is a key element of NATO’s response to terrorism.

Anti-terrorism operations

NATO conducts a number of operations that are either directly or indirectly related to the fight against terrorism

Operation Active Endeavour

Operation Active Endeavour (OAE) is a maritime surveillance operation led by NATO’s naval forces to undertake anti-terrorist patrol, escort and compliant boarding in the Mediterranean. Initially limited to the Eastern Mediterranean, OAE was extended to the entire Mediterranean from March 2004.

The operation was one of eight measures taken by NATO to support the United States following the September 11 attacks, and is currently NATO’s only counter-terrorism operation. OAE is also open to partners wishing to support NATO’s operational activities against terrorism.

NATO in Afghanistan

Since August 2003, NATO has been leading the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), in assisting the Government of Afghanistan in expanding its authority and implementing security, thereby, helping to remove the conditions in which terrorism could thrive. While not a counter-terrorism operation, ISAF represents NATO’s determination to help the people of Afghanistan build a stable, secure and democratic state free from the threat of terrorism. In addition, many NATO Allies have forces involved in Operation Enduring Freedom, the ongoing US-led military counter-terrorism operation whose major activities are in Afghanistan.

NATO in the Balkans

NATO peacekeeping forces in the Balkans continue to help in creating the conditions necessary to restrict potential terrorist activities. Such assistance includes support for stopping the illegal movement of people, arms and drugs that offer important economic sources for the financing of terrorism. NATO forces also work with regional authorities on border security issues.

Securing major public events

NATO also provides assistance in protecting the security of major public events in Allied countries that might attract the interest of terrorists. It does this at the request of any member country by deploying NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft (AWACS), elements of NATO’s multinational chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defence battalion, or other capabilities. The Alliance has thus assisted high-visibility events such as Summits and Ministerial meetings, as well as sporting events such as the Athens Olympic Games.

NATO started to undertake this type of mission after it had provided air surveillance to the United States in 2001 as part of the package of eight measures agreed immediately after the September 11 terrorist attacks. Operation Eagle Assist involved the deployment of NATO AWACS aircraft to the United States from mid-October 2001 to mid-May 2002 to protect the US homeland and enable US assets to be deployed for its campaign in Afghanistan.

Innovative technology and capabilities that address the threat

NATO is developing capabilities and innovative technology that specifically address the issue of terrorism.
The aim is to protect troops, civilians and critical infrastructure against attacks perpetrated by terrorists, such as suicide attacks with improvised explosive devices, rocket attacks against aircraft and helicopters, and the potential use of weapons of mass destruction.

The Defence Against Terrorism Programme of Work

The Defence Against Terrorism Programme of Work (DAT POW) was developed by the Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) at their meeting in May 2004. It was later approved as part of an enhanced set of measures to strengthen the Alliance’s fight against terrorism at the Istanbul Summit in June 2004.

The DAT POW is focused on ten critical areas where it is believed technology can help prevent or mitigate the effects of terrorist attacks. Due to the urgent nature of the threat, most projects launched under the programme are focused on finding solutions that can be fielded in the near-term. Individual NATO countries lead the projects with support and contributions from other member countries, CNAD armaments groups, and other NATO bodies.

The ten areas in the programme are:

• Large aircraft survivability against man-portable air defence systems (MANPADS); 
• The protection of harbours and ports;
• The protection of helicopters from Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPGs);
• Countering Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs);
• Detection, protection and defeat of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) weapons;
• Technology for Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Target Acquisition of terrorists (IRSTA);
• Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) and Consequence Management;
• Defence against mortar attacks;
• Critical infrastructure protection; 
• Developing non-lethal capabilities.

An initiative on precision air-drop technologies was wound up at the end of 2008, having achieved its objectives. Those technologies are now being used operationally in Afghanistan.

Initiatives to counter chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN)

NATO is continuing its efforts to counter chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats and hazards. To become more effective, NATO is working on a comprehensive strategic-level policy for preventing the proliferation of WMD and defending against CBRN threats. In addition, efforts are underway to identify capabilities to detect what chemical and biological agents have been used in an attack and to provide appropriate warning.

 The NATO multinational Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) defence battalion and Joint Assessment Team, launched at the Prague Summit in 2002, is designed to respond to and manage the consequences of the use of CBRN agents both inside and beyond NATO’s area of responsibility. It will operate within the NATO Response Force (NRF) and may also be separately committed to other tasks. NATO-certified Centres of Excellence on CBRN defence (in the Czech Republic) and on defence against Terrorism (in Turkey) further enhance allied capabilities to counter CBRN threats.

Cyber defence

The protection of NATO's key information systems in general, and cyber defence in particular, are integral parts of the functions of the Alliance. However, there have been strong indications of a growing threat to such systems, including through the Internet. Cyber attacks on Estonia in the spring of 2007 heightened general awareness of the issue.

NATO has therefore developed new measures to enhance the protection of its communication and information systems against attempts at disruption through attacks or illegal access. In January 2008, it approved a policy on cyber defence which aims to ensure that the Alliance can efficiently and effectively deal with cyber aggression. It provides direction to NATO’s civil and military bodies in order to ensure a common and coordinated approach and contains recommendations for individual countries on the protection of their national systems.  In 2008 NATO also established the Cyber defence Management Authority, which has prior authority to deal with rapidly unfolding cyber defence crises.

In addition, NATO is exploring the potential for incremental, practical cooperation on cyber defence with Partner countries. Guidelines for working with partner countries are currently being developed. The recently established Centre of Excellence on Cyber defence in Estonia will serve as a valuable conduit and focal point for NATO’s efforts in this field.

Improved intelligence-sharing

Since 11 September 2001, NATO has sought to increase consultations on terrorism and terrorism-related issues among its members, as well as with non-member countries. Information-sharing is one of the key aspects of this exchange and, more specifically, intelligence-sharing.

At the 2002 Prague Summit, improved intelligence-sharing was identified as a key aspect of cooperation among Allies. A Terrorist Threat Intelligence Unit (TTIU) was set up under the NATO Office of Security at the end of 2003, replacing a temporary cell established immediately after the September 11 attacks. The TTIU is now a permanent NATO body composed of officers from civilian and military intelligence and law enforcement agencies which analyses general terrorist threats and threats that are more specifically aimed at the Organization. In addition to regular liaison with Allied intelligence services and national terrorism coordination centres, the TTIU liaises with partner and contact nations and has become NATO HQ’s centre of expertise on terrorism.

Furthermore, at the 2004 Istanbul Summit, a decision was taken to review intelligence structures at NATO Headquarters. A new intelligence liaison cell for NATO Allies and partners to exchange relevant intelligence has been created at SHAPE in Mons, Belgium, and an Intelligence Liaison Unit (ILU) operates in NATO HQ to share information sent by non-NATO countries on a voluntary basis.

The Economic and Financial Dimension of Terrorism

Terrorism will continue to be resourced through a range of funding mechanisms, channels and sources. Therefore, measures to counter the financing of terrorism remain crucial to the counter-terrorism effort. The Economic Committee in reinforced session has organized meetings with Allies to share and exchange economic intelligence on these issues. Workshops and meetings are also conducted with partners and have included representatives from relevant international financial institutions and international organizations. These activities are helping to strengthen the international effort in undermining and degrading terrorist funding mechanisms.

Science cooperation

Defence against terrorism is the first of two key priorities under the Science for Peace and Security Programme since its redirection to security in 2004, contributing to NATO’s Strategic Objective “Partnership”. The sub-elements of the Defence Against Terrorism priority identified by the SPS Committee are: Rapid detection, decontamination, and destruction of Chemical, Biological, Radiological Nuclear (CBRN) agents and weapons, rapid diagnosis of their effects on people, and physical protection against them; novel and rapid methods of detection; medical countermeasures; explosives detection; eco-terrorism countermeasures; and computer terrorism countermeasures.

In addition, the NATO-Russia Council SPS Committee identified six defence against terrorism priority topics for its Action Plan, which defines the areas for cooperation between the Russian Federation and NATO nations in security-related civil-science activities. These include: Explosives detection; psychological and sociological consequences of terrorism; CBRN protection; cyber security; transport security; environmental security and ecoterrorism.

The DAT activities under the SPS Programme involve a variety of mechanisms, including workshops, training courses, team collaborations, and multi-year applied Science for Peace (SfP) projects. A few examples of activities initiated under this priority area include:

• New biosensors for rapid and accurate detection of Anthrax
• New technology for detection of "dirty bombs"
• Technologies for cargo container inspection
• Advanced techniques for bioweapon defence
• Technology for stand-off detection of explosives (including the suicide bomber case)
• Treatments for nerve agent poisoning
• Human and social aspects of terrorist activity (including root causes, social and psychological aspects of terrorism, use of the Internet as a tool for recruitment, and the “intangibles of security”)
• Protecting information networks from terrorist attacks

This DAT element of the SPS Programme has been successful in bringing together NATO, partner and Russian Federation experts and engineers to cooperate in a range of activities, including practical projects with concrete deliverables. The Programme contributed to better understanding of the terrorist threat, development of detection and response measures, and fostering effective networks of experts in key fields. This work will continue to be a core priority of the Science for Peace and Security Programme (www.nato.int/science).

A network of close cooperation with partners

The fight against terrorism has become an important element of NATO’s cooperation activities and, in some cases, has provided fresh impetus to create new links.

The contribution by a number of partners to NATO’s operations, as well as their efforts to introduce defence reforms supported by NATO programmes, contributes to the prevention of terrorism. In addition, NATO is co-operating with other international organizations in order to ensure that information is shared and appropriate action can be taken more effectively in the fight against terrorism.

The Partnership Action Plan against Terrorism (PAP-T)

NATO and its Partners are engaged in practical cooperation programmes conducted within the framework of the Partnership Action Plan against Terrorism (PAP-T).

The Action Plan defines partnership roles as well as instruments to fight terrorism and manage its consequences. For instance, NATO and Partner countries work together to improve the safety of air space, including through the exchange of data and coordination procedures related to the handling of possible terrorist threats.

All partner countries can participate, including NATO’s Mediterranean Dialogue partners and other interested countries on a case-by-case basis.

The PAP-T was adopted at the Prague Summit in November 2002 and has been evolving and expanding in line with the joint aims and efforts of Allies and partners.

The spirit in which it was adopted was already manifested on 12 September 2001, when the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council condemned the attacks on New York and Washington D.C. the previous day and offered the support of all 46 members to the United States.

Recently three informal working groups have been set up under PAP-T, addressing the security of energy infrastructure, border security, as well as financial aspects of terrorism and disruption of terrorist organisations’ sources of finance.

Deepening relations to combat terrorism

Combating terrorism was among the main drivers behind the creation of the NATO-Russia Council (NRC) in May 2002. The common fight against terrorism remains a key aspect of NATO’s dialogue with Russia, as well as a focus of the NRC’s practical cooperation activities. In December 2004, the NRC agreed an Action Plan on Terrorism and later, in 2006 and 2007, Russia participated in Operation Active Endeavour.

In 2003 the NRC also launched the Cooperative Airspace Initiative (CAI) to foster cooperation on airspace surveillance and air traffic coordination, with the underlying
goal to enhance confidence building and to strengthen capabilities required for the
handling of situations in which aircraft are suspected of being used as weapons to
perpetrate terrorist attacks.

Relations with Mediterranean Dialogue partners have also deepened, including through contributions to Operation Active Endeavour

Creating new links

The fight against terrorism has provided the impetus to create new links with non-partner countries. At the Istanbul Summit in June 2004, NATO launched the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative to reach out to countries in the broader Middle East region, widening NATO’s network of partnerships in order to facilitate the fight against terrorism.

It has also reinforced its relations with “contact countries”/partners across the Globe. These are countries that are not NATO members and do not participate in any formal partnership with the Alliance. However, they share similar security concerns and have expressed an interest in developing relations with the Organization. They comprise countries such as Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the Republic of Korea. Their level of involvement with NATO varies, as do the areas of cooperation.

In this context the Center of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism (COE-DAT) has served as both a location and catalyst for international dialogue and discussion regarding defense against terrorism issues. COE-DAT has established links with over 50 countries and 40 organizations to provide subject matter experts on terrorism in order to conduct over 53 activities with over 3400 participants from 90 countries.5

Increasing cooperation with other international organizations

NATO is also working to deepen its relations with the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations to strengthen efforts in fighting terrorism.

With regard to cooperation with the United Nations, NATO works with affiliated bodies such as the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee, its Executive Directorate and the Security Council Committee 1540. It has also established contacts with the UN on its Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy and works closely with the UN agencies that play a leading role in responding to international disasters and in consequence management – the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons – and other organizations.

NATO also exchanges views with the OSCE’s Action against Terrorism Unit.

Working with aviation authorities

The use of civilian aircraft as a weapon on 11 September 2001 brought NATO to heighten awareness of such forms of terrorism and enhance aviation security. NATO’s anti-terrorism efforts include improving civil-military coordination of air traffic control by working with EUROCONTROL, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the International Air Transport Association so that information is shared and action taken more effectively.

Managing the consequences of terrorist attacks

NATO members and Partners work together to plan and prepare for, and respond to, possible terrorist attacks, including with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) agents.

Coordonner l’aide aux populations

Consequence management involves reactive measures to mitigate the destructive effects of terrorist attacks, incidents and natural disasters.

Consequence management is primarily a national responsibility; however, NATO supports countries in several ways. For instance, it serves as a forum where planning arrangements for such eventualities can be coordinated among countries, therefore improving preparedness should a crisis develop.

Providing timely information to the public is also a key component of consequence management. NATO has developed guidelines for use by countries in this field to ensure that coordinated warnings are given.

In addition to serving as a forum for coordination, NATO maintains an inventory of civilian and military assets that, on a case-by-case basis, could be made available for consequence management.

Protecting populations and infrastructure

Since 2001, Civil Emergency Planning activities have focused on measures aimed at enhancing national capabilities and civil preparedness in the event of possible attacks on populations or critical infrastructures using CBRN agents.

In the aftermath of the 9/11 events, at the Prague Summit in 2002, a Civil Emergency Planning Action Plan was adopted for the protection of populations against the effects of weapons of mass destruction. Furthermore, a project was initiated the same year to develop non-binding guidelines and minimum standards for first responders regarding planning, training, procedures and equipment for CBRN incidents. The purpose of this initiative is to provide general guidelines that member and Partner countries may draw upon on a voluntary basis to enhance their preparedness to protect populations against such risks. These guidelines also seek to improve interoperability between countries.

NATO’s Joint Medical Committee has developed treatment protocols for casualties following a CBRN attack and, more generally, the Alliance has defined coordination mechanisms for medical evacuation capabilities and a mechanism for allocating and transporting victims to facilities in other countries.

To add flexibility, NATO has developed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the facilitation of vital civil cross border transport. This mechanism can be used, inter alia, for providing assistance required to cope with the consequences of a CBRN incident. The MoU aims to accelerate and simplify existing national border crossing procedures and customs clearance for international assistance to reach the desired location as quickly as possible.

The protection of critical infrastructure against CBRN attacks is principally a national responsibility. Nonetheless, NATO is working to increase national awareness on this issue.   

The role of the Euro-Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre (EADRCC)

Allies have established an inventory of national civil and military capabilities that could be made available to assist stricken countries – both member and Partner countries – following a CBRN terrorist attack. This inventory is maintained by the -Atlantic Disaster Response Coordination Centre.

The EADRCC was originally created in 1998 to coordinate responses to natural and man-made disasters and, since 2001, has been given an additional coordinating role for responses to potential terrorist acts involving CBRN agents.

The centre has a standing mandate to respond to a national request for assistance in the event of a terrorist attack using CBRN agents. It organizes major international field exercises to practice responses to simulated disaster situations and consequence management.

NATO Crisis Management System

The NATO Crisis Management System provides a structured array of pre-identified political, military and civilian measures to be implemented by states and NATO in response to various crisis scenarios. This system provides the Alliance with a comprehensive set of options and measures to manage and respond to crises appropriately. Within this system, specific Civil Emergency Planning Crisis Management Arrangements define the roles of the Senior Civil Emergency Planning Committee, the Planning Boards and Committees, the EADRCC and the use of civil experts during times of crisis.

Network of civil experts

A network of 350 civil experts located across the Euro-Atlantic area are selected, based on specific areas of support frequently required, inter alia, by the military. They cover all civil aspects relevant to NATO planning and operations, including crisis management, consequence management and critical infrastructure protection. Experts are drawn from government and industry. They participate in training and exercises and respond to requests for assistance in accordance with specific procedures known as the Civil Emergency Planning Crisis Management Arrangements.

Historical background

The Alliance's 1999 Strategic Concept already identified terrorism as one of the risks affecting NATO’s security. The Alliances response to September 11, however, saw NATO engage actively in the fight against terrorism, launch its first operations outside the Euro-Atlantic area and begin a far-reaching transformation of its capabilities.

Response to September 11

On the evening of 12 September 2001, less than 24 hours after the attacks, and for the first time in NATO's history, the Allies invoked Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, the Alliance’s collective defence clause.

The North Atlantic Council - NATO’s principal political decision-making body - agreed that if it determined that the attack was directed from abroad against the United States, it would be regarded as an action covered by Article 5, which states that an armed attack against one or more of the Allies in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all.

Earlier on the same day, NATO Partner countries, in a meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, condemned the attacks, offering their support to the United States and pledging to “undertake all efforts to combat the scourge of terrorism”. This was followed by declarations of solidarity and support from Russia, on 13 September, and Ukraine, on 14 September.

On 2 October, Frank Taylor, the US Ambassador at Large and Co-ordinator for Counter-terrorism, briefed the North Atlantic Council on the results of investigations into the 11 September attacks.

As a result of the information he provided, the Council determined that the attacks were directed from abroad and shall be regarded as an action covered by Article 5 of the Washington Treaty.

Two days later, on 4 October, NATO agreed on eight measures to support the United States:

• to enhance intelligence sharing and co-operation, both bilaterally and in appropriate NATO bodies, relating to the threats posed by terrorism and the actions to be taken against it;
• to provide, individually or collectively, as appropriate and according to their capabilities, assistance to Allies and other states which are or may be subject to increased terrorist threats as a result of their support for the campaign against terrorism;
• to take necessary measures to provide increased security for facilities of the United States and other Allies on their territory;
• to backfill selected Allied assets in NATO’s area of responsibility that are required to directly support operations against terrorism;
• to provide blanket overflight clearances for the United States and other Allies’ aircraft, in accordance with the necessary air traffic arrangements and national procedures, for military flights related to operations against terrorism;
• to provide access for the United States and other Allies to ports and airfields on the territory of NATO nations for operations against terrorism, including for refuelling, in accordance with national procedures;
• that the Alliance is ready to deploy elements of its Standing Naval Forces to the Eastern Mediterranean in order to provide a NATO presence and demonstrate resolve; and
• that the Alliance is similarly ready to deploy elements of its NATO Airborne Early Warning Force to support operations against terrorism.

Shortly thereafter, NATO launched its first ever anti-terror operation - Eagle Assist. On request of the United States, from mid-October 2001 to mid-May 2002, seven NATO AWACS radar aircraft were sent to help patrol the skies over the United States; in total 830 crewmembers from 13 NATO countries flew over 360 sorties.
This was the first time that NATO military assets were deployed in support of an Article 5 operation.
On 26 October, the Alliance launched its second counter-terrorism operation in response to the attacks on the United States, Active Endeavour. Elements of NATO's Standing Naval Forces were sent to patrol the eastern Mediterranean and monitor shipping to detect and deter terrorist activity, including illegal trafficking. On 10 March 2003, the operation was expanded to include escorting civilian shipping through the Strait of Gibraltar.
In addition, although it is not a NATO-led operation, most of the NATO Allies also have forces involved in Operation Enduring Freedom, the US-led military operation against the Taliban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan.

Reykjavik – end of "out of area" debate

NATO’s immediate response to September 11 was further strengthened by a decision, at the Reykjavik meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in May 2002, that the Alliance will operate when and where necessary to fight terrorism.
This landmark declaration effectively ended the debate on what is and what is not NATO’s area of operations and paved the way for the Alliance’s future engagements with ISAF in Afghanistan. It also was a catalyst for a broad transformation of the Alliance’s capabilities that was launched at the 2002 Prague Summit in November.

Prague Summit - adapting to the threat of terrorism

At the 21-22 November 2002 Prague Summit, NATO Heads of State and Government expressed their determination to deter, defend and protect their populations, territory and forces from any armed attack from abroad, including by terrorists.
To this end, they adopted a Prague package, aimed at adapting NATO to the challenge of terrorism. It comprised:

• a Military Concept for Defence against Terrorism: this underlines the Alliance’s readiness to act against terrorist attacks or the threat of such attacks; to lead or support counter-terrorism operations; provide assistance to national authorities in dealing with the consequence of terrorist attacks; support operations by other international organizations or coalitions involving Allies on a case-by-case basis; and to conduct military operations to engage terrorist groups and their capabilities, as and where required, and as decided by the North Atlantic Council;
  
• a Partnership Action Plan against Terrorism (PAP-T);
  
• five nuclear, biological and chemical defence initiatives: a deployable nuclear, biological and chemical analytical laboratory, a nuclear, biological and chemical event response team, a virtual centre of excellence for nuclear, biological and chemical weapons defence, a NATO biological and chemical defence stockpile, and a disease surveillance system;
  
• protection of civilian populations, including a Civil Emergency Planning Action Plan;
  
• missile defence: Allies are examining options for addressing the increasing missile threat to Alliance territory, forces and population centres in an effective and efficient way through an appropriate mix of political and defence efforts, along with deterrence;
  
• cyber-defence: efforts are underway within the Alliance to better protect against and prepare for a possible disruption of NATO and national critical infrastructure assets, including information and communications systems;
  
• cooperation with other international organizations;
  
• improved intelligence sharing;

In addition, they decided to create the NATO Response Force, streamline the military command structure and launch the Prague Capabilities Commitment, to better prepare NATO’s military to face new challenges, including terrorism. . The NATO command structure was be supported by a network of Centres of Excellence (COE). Currently, there are 17 COE’s in NATO. Of these, 12 centers have been fully accredited by NATO. Several of them have a link to defence against terrorism, however one of these, the Center of Excellence Defence Against Terrorism in Ankara, is exclusively focused on DAT.

Riga Summit – reaffirming the threat of terrorism

In endorsing the Comprehensive Political Guidance at the Riga Summit in November 2006, NATO’s Heads of State and Government recognised that “terrorism, together with the spread of weapons of mass destruction, are likely to be the principal threats to the Alliance over the next 10 to 15 years.”

Decision-making bodies

The North Atlantic Council, the Alliance’s principal political decision-making body, decides on NATO’s overall role in the fight against terrorism. The response to terrorism is a standing agenda item at the Council’s weekly deliberations. Specific aspects of NATO’s involvement are developed though specialized bodies and committees.

For instance, depending on the participating countries or the issue, the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council (EAPC) can be involved, as can the NATO-Russia Council or the NATO-Ukraine Commission. Under the authority of the NAC, Allied Command Operations has the overall responsibility for the conduct of NATO operations. The NATO Defence Review Committee is responsible for streamlining the Alliance’s defence planning process to assist in the transformation of NATO's military capabilities. Allied Command Transformation (ACT) is responsible for the transformation of NATO’s military capabilities.

With regard to consequence management and disaster preparedness, the Senior Emergency Planning Committee (SPEPC), composed of national representatives is responsible for bringing together NATO policies in the field of civil emergency planning and providing the measures to implement these policies.

Under the direction of the SCEPC, eight technical planning boards and committees (PB&Cs) bring together national government and industrial experts and military representatives to coordinate planning activity in the relevant areas of civil activity. These experts form a network and provide a firm base for consequence management.

They maintain close links with national emergency preparedness agencies and relevant ministries. NATO Partner countries participate actively in nearly all NATO CEP activities through the EAPC and the Partnership for Peace programme.