UPDATED 9.34am: Thousands of police are on standby as fear of a terror attack spreads across Europe.

It follows a number of terror warnings ahead of the Euro 2016 Football Championship, starting this weekend in France.

Counter terrorism expert Yan St Pierre talked to Mike Hosking from France, where patrols have been round the clock since the Charlie Hebdo shootings a year and a half ago.

Globally, terrorism has increased in 77 countries.

The 2016 Global Peace Index has found that overall, the world was slightly less peaceful last year.

It found that 81 countries improved their peacefulness, but 79 had lessened theirs.

According to the chairman of the index's expert panel, Professor Kevin Clements, the rise in terrorism is a worrying trend.

"There's been more examples of both lone wolf political violent extremism and organised violent extremism," he said.

New Zealand's ranked as the fourth most peaceful country, 11 places ahead of Australia.