The European Union is rushing through tough new anti-terrorist measures to close legal loopholes that allow suspects to evade arrest.
The proposals have long been under consideration by EU nations but are being pushed through after the attacks in the United States.
Key provisions include a search-and-arrest warrant that will allow police forces to apprehend suspects in all 15 member states.
They also include streamlined extradition procedures, so suspects will automatically be handed over to the country where they are wanted.
Other measures include setting out a common definition of terrorist crimes and guidelines for sentencing, including a minimum penalty of 20 years for terrorist murders.
If ministers approve it, the package is set to be adopted at an emergency summit by the end of the week. But it is expected to take until early next year before the measures become law in the 15 EU nations following legislative approval.
At the moment, only Germany, Italy, France, Britain, Portugal and Spain have statutes on terrorism in their criminal codes.
Human rights campaigners gave a cautious welcome to the new measures but appealed to governments not to allow the struggle against terrorism to curtail civil liberties or the rights of refugees.