On 14 June 2023, Europol published its EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report (TE-SAT) 2023. The report was updated at the request of the Member States on 26 October 2023. It gives an overview of terrorism in Europe in 2022, analyses the situation regarding Jihadist, right-wing/left-wing and anarchist terrorism, ethno-nationalist and separatist terrorism as well as other forms of terrorism and extremism. It also provides an outlook on potential developments.

The year 2022 saw a total of 28 completed, failed, and foiled terrorist attacks recorded in the EU compared to 15 attacks in 2021. EU law enforcement authorities arrested 380 suspects for terrorism-related offences (compared to 388 in 2021), and 427 verdicts (convictions and acquittals) for terrorist offences were passed by courts in the Member States.

Two Jihadist terrorist attacks were carried out by individuals acting alone. While no failed attacks were reported, four jihadist attacks were foiled in six EU Member States, and 266 suspected Jihadists arrested in 2022.

In the area of right-wing terrorism, one right-wing terrorist attack was completed in 2022. No failed attack was reported, three attacks were foiled, and 45 arrests of right-wing terrorists were made in nine EU Member States.

In the field of left-wing terrorism, 13 left-wing terrorist attacks were completed and carried out in 2022 compared to one attack in 2021. The majority of the attacks (8) took place in Italy.

No completed, failed, or foiled attack was carried out by ethno-nationalist and separatist terrorists in the EU in 2022. 18 individuals were arrested for involvement in ethno-nationalist and separatist activities in four EU Member States.

Looking at potential developments in terrorism and violent extremism in the EU, the report sees the lines between different types of terrorism becoming increasingly blurred in the future. In addition, right-wing, left-wing, and environmentally inspired terrorism and violent extremism are expected to gain further prominence. Geopolitical developments outside the EU will continue to have an impact on terrorism and violent extremism within the EU. While lone actors are expected to continue to perpetrate most of the terrorist attacks in the EU, terrorist organisations may exploit the increasing fluidity of the radicalisation processes taking place – especially in the online environment. The online environment and emerging technologies will regrettably be key in enabling propaganda, recruitment, and the coordination of terrorist and violent extremist activities. According to the report, there is also reason to fear that terrorists may display increasing interest in technologically enhanced or enabled weaponry in the future.