Book excerpt: Since the coming into force of the Lisbon Treaty in 2009, and the contemporaneous publication of the Stockholm Programme, the area of freedom, security and justice has obtained a more secure legal basis within the EU treaty framework and now has a coherent policy programme set out for its development. A key aspect in the area of freedom, security and justice are the EU’s provisions dealing with counter-terrorism. This book examines the rapidly emerging area of EU law and policy on counter-terrorism, addressing these twin disciplines from both a theoretical and practical perspective. The Evolving EU Counter-Terrorism Legal Framework is the first comprehensive exposition of EU anti-terrorism law, bringing together laws and policies on terrorism from across the three distinct EU pillars, as well as exploring the legal framework for EU external relations in counter-terrorism. In focusing on this challenging area of EU legal policy which is presently under construction, the book brings greater clarity and critical analysis to the existing legal framework currently in place. In addition to considering the current legal circumstances, Maria O'Neill goes on to highlight potential difficulties which may occur in the future and suggests possible avenues for development of counter-terrorism provisions.