France urges EU to act faster against extremist finances

France is urging its European Union partners to speed up efforts to cut off funds to extremists groups.

French Finance Minister Michel Sapin said today that "every country is under threat of terrorism, and every country has to do what is needed to fight terror financing."

Sapin and his EU counterparts are set to debate in Brussels ways to better track financial transfers, control prepaid bank cards, freeze assets and limit movements of cash and precious metals.

The EU's executive Commission will set out a timetable for adopting key measures. The process has taken on new urgency in the wake of last month's Paris attacks.
 
Sapin warned that "the dates for adopting these measures are far away. Terrorists are there, so we must act more quickly."