Ceremonies were held throughout Europe yesterday to remember the victims of the terrorist attacks of September 11th last year.
European leaders expressed solidarity with the American people but stressed that the United Nations was the appropriate forum for determining the course of the fight against international terrorism.
People from nine European countries, including five EU member-states, died in the attacks.
In Paris two great beams of light representing Manhattan's twin towers were projected into the sky.
From the roof of St Paul's Cathedral in London 3,000 white rose petals representing the victims of September 11th fluttered down during a memorial service attended by Mr Tony Blair and members of Britain's royal family.
In Brussels, the Commission President, Mr Romano Prodi, told the European Parliament that Europe would always stand by the United States in a time of need. But he warned that terror could not be defeated by force of arms alone.
"We must look beyond, rooting it out wherever it finds fertile soil. We must tackle its deeper causes, poverty, discrimination and exclusion of all forms, breaking down the wall between North and South.
"Europe must take the lead in this new campaign for peace, justice and solidarity. Together with the United States and all the other nations of the world we can lay the foundations for a new international order," he said.
Calling for a minute's silence in memory of the victims, the European Parliament's president, Mr Pat Cox, said that Europe's solidarity with the US in combating terrorism must be sustained.
"And it must be supported through a dialogue of cultures to ensure that there is no facile equation of fanaticism with religion or nationality.
"We must seek to build a just international order, that promotes democracy, peace and prosperity for all, not least throughout the Middle East," he said.
The leader of Fianna Fáil's group in the parliament, Mr Gerard Collins, described terrorism as a problem that could only be tackled through international co-operation.
"We must all have confidence in this international system of governance. A system of collective global security must be seen to operate fairly.
"I do believe that the United Nations is an international organisation that does command widespread respect and goodwill and it must be centrally involved in improving the systems that govern our international relations and our international responses," he said.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs, Ms Anna Diamantopoulou, told the European Parliament that the aftermath of the attacks had made combating racism and xenophobia harder in Europe.
"Human rights organisations warn us that civil liberties are being swept aside in the name of the fight against terrorism. In this climate, I feel it is more important than ever for the EU to stand up for fundamental rights and values," she said.
