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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
|---|---|
| Terrorism 'biggest threat to EU' | Terrorism 'biggest threat to EU' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Terrorism is the "biggest threat to all European nations" Home Secretary John Reid has said after the first day of a security summit with five EU ministers. | |
| The members of the G6, meeting in the UK, were addressed by the head of Britain's security service MI5. | The members of the G6, meeting in the UK, were addressed by the head of Britain's security service MI5. |
| Mr Reid said the threat came "particularly from those who would through a perverted use of Islam constitute a terrorist threat". | Mr Reid said the threat came "particularly from those who would through a perverted use of Islam constitute a terrorist threat". |
| However, he added "the enemy is terrorism, the enemy is not Islam". | However, he added "the enemy is terrorism, the enemy is not Islam". |
| Interior ministers from Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Poland are meeting in Stratford-upon-Avon for two days. | Interior ministers from Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Poland are meeting in Stratford-upon-Avon for two days. |
| The ministers are due to discuss international organised crime, illegal migration and how to encourage dialogue with Muslim communities. | The ministers are due to discuss international organised crime, illegal migration and how to encourage dialogue with Muslim communities. |
| Bomb attacks in Madrid in 2004 killed 191 people | Bomb attacks in Madrid in 2004 killed 191 people |
| Mr Reid said every nation represented had had recent experience of terror. | Mr Reid said every nation represented had had recent experience of terror. |
| 'Best practice' | |
| Using the example of August's alleged plot to blow up transatlantic flights, Mr Reid said greater international co-operation was vital to preventing further attacks. | Using the example of August's alleged plot to blow up transatlantic flights, Mr Reid said greater international co-operation was vital to preventing further attacks. |
| "Each member state controls their own security services. We are all absolutely committed to common action," said Mr Reid. | "Each member state controls their own security services. We are all absolutely committed to common action," said Mr Reid. |
| The meeting is aimed at sharing ideas and "best practice" rather than taking concrete decisions, a spokesman said. | The meeting is aimed at sharing ideas and "best practice" rather than taking concrete decisions, a spokesman said. |
| On Thursday, the ministers will discuss how to shut off illegal immigration routes and how to work with unspecified third countries to control migration flows. | On Thursday, the ministers will discuss how to shut off illegal immigration routes and how to work with unspecified third countries to control migration flows. |
| Fraud | |
| They will also debate how to reduce the harm caused by organised crime, including the trafficking of drugs and people. | |
| Paymaster General Dawn Primarolo will also brief the meeting on the efforts of the Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs to clamp down on so-called "carousel" VAT fraud. | |
| A Home Office spokesman said the gangs carrying out this type of fraud were "well organised, well resourced, innovative and known to be involved in wider criminality". | |
| In a carousel fraud, goods - usually small, high-value items such as mobile phones and computer chips - are imported into a country and VAT is charged when they are sold. | |
| But the importer pockets the VAT and vanishes without making the payment due to the Treasury. | |
| The goods can then be re-exported, at which point HM Revenue & Customs pays the exporter a VAT rebate. | |
| In the worst cases, the whole chain is crooked and the goods are repeatedly imported and exported, hence the 'carousel' term. | |
| The fraud - also known as missing trader intra-community (MTIC) fraud - cost the UK £1.9bn in 2004-05, but the loss is expected to be considerably higher this year. | |
| Cross-border | |
| The Home Office spokesman said: "This is an issue that the Home Office, the Treasury and HMRC are working closely together on. | |
| "The discussion will look at what the problem is and what can be done as a group of nations to tackle the problem." | |
| The G6 group has no formal decision-making powers and is not an official body of the EU. | The G6 group has no formal decision-making powers and is not an official body of the EU. |
| But agreements on cross-border co-operation can be made between the six countries - which together make up three-quarters of the EU's population - without needing EU approval. | But agreements on cross-border co-operation can be made between the six countries - which together make up three-quarters of the EU's population - without needing EU approval. |
| The G6 group was established in 2003 - initially as G5 before Poland joined - and meets two to three times a year. | The G6 group was established in 2003 - initially as G5 before Poland joined - and meets two to three times a year. |