EU unveils new security plan

BRUSSELS, Nov. 23 (UPI) -- The European Commission has presented an "Internal Security Strategy" aimed at implementing extra powers acquired under the Lisbon Treaty.

The plan includes everything from a method for fighting cyber fraud to tracking potential terrorists through European Union data systems, the EUobserver reported Tuesday.

EU Home Affairs commissioner Cecilia Malstrom told a news conference the plan aims at smarter management.

"We don't propose many new organizations, but we want to equip existing ones with better tools," said Malstrom.

The EU plans to do its own data extraction and analysis of bank transactions to terrorist organizations rather than sending the information to the United States for analysis.

Also, air passenger data currently being handed over to U.S. authorities can be shared and analyzed by EU countries in the future.

Malstrom denied that the EU planned to create "gigantic databases" and encourage people to spy on each other.

Other proposals in the plan involve border management issues and disaster response.