ABSTRACT
Prior to 2001, Belgium had a relatively light external dimension to its counter-terrorism policy, in the context of a lesser international threat. After 9/11, this external dimension deepened at the bilateral and European levels. As described in this chapter, Belgium’s CT agenda was more driven by the European agenda than the other way around in the 2000s. As a result, there was a form of reactive vertical integration. This changed after 2012, as Belgium was particularly affected by the departure of its nationals to Syria and Iraq, and as the country became a target of terrorist attacks. There was suddenly considerably more will to cooperate internationally, and Belgium even became a global leader in counter-terrorism in some regards. This chapter also highlights how the external dimension of Belgium’s counter-terrorism policy reflects the domestic and international broadening of the CT agenda.
