Special issue: Foreign terrorist fighters: Enhancing the synergies between the EU’s internal and external strategies

Abstract

This introduction aims to serve as a reminder of the main steps in the EU’s growing involvement in the topic, showing that there has been a gradual impact on both the EU’s internal and external policies. It also aims to highlight, in particular, two grey areas in law that have an impact on EU policy in the field. On the one hand, a clear and precise definition of the concept of FTF in international law and European law is missing. This absence blurs the line between FTFs and broader or related concepts, such as foreign fighters. It goes without saying that these two questions are particularly acute in the current context of the war in Ukraine and in the context of a growing involvement of the EU institutions in the field of core international crimes and international criminal justice. To conclude, the structure of the special issue entitled “Foreign terrorist fighters: Enhancing the synergies between the EU’s internal and external strategies” will be presented.