Gijs de Vries (born February 22, 1956 in New York) was a Dutch People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) politician and deputy Interior Minister between 1998 and 2002 who on March 25, 2004 became the European Union's anti-terrorism co-ordinator. As such he works for Javier Solana in the Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters (PJCCM) pillar. Solana outlined his duties as being to streamline, organise and co-ordinate the EU and it's members fight against terrorism. He stood down from the post in March 2007, citing personal reasons, but it is commonly understood that the position's mandate didn't have the necessary operational powers, as well as an overall reluctance within member states to supply information regarding anti-terror activities, even though the member states fully supported the establishment of the anti-terrorism coordinator after the 2004 Madrid train bombings.[1] In September 2007, MEPs called for the post to be filled, having been vacant for six months, and for it to be given real powers to carry out the post's tasks.[2] On 20 September 2007, the Belgian Gilles de Kerchove was appointed to succeed De Vries in the post.[3]
