EU agrees to bolster border security and online terror rules

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The European Union ministers on Friday agreed to bolster security at the bloc's external borders and to impose tougher controls on violent extremism online.

The meeting came following Islamist extremist attacks in France, Germany and Austria which highlighted a need for a more coordinated anti-terrorism policy by member states.

The interior ministers said they hope to finalize negotiations with the EU Commission and Parliament on a new law to control online content before the end of the year.

"The aim is to enable issuing removal orders with cross-border effect to create a new and rapid and effective instrument to counter terrorist content online within an hour or less of its being reported," AFP quotes the bloc.

"The competent authorities need to know who enters the Schengen area and who travels within it," the bloc added referring to Europe's passport-free travel zone.

"We must effectively control our external borders, record entries and departures from the Schengen area in digital form, and cooperate more closely with third countries in order to combat terrorist threats."