The European Union should gradually build a fully fledged intelligence body to better counter threats from foreign actors and respond more forcefully to espionage within its borders, according to a recent draft of a report requested by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
he new intelligence service would gather its own intelligence about threats originating beyond EU borders that target the bloc as a whole, according to people familiar with the report. The aim is to avoid overlap with national agencies and help counter espionage aimed at EU institutions.
Earlier this year, von der Leyen tasked former Finnish president Sauli Niinisto with delivering recommendations on how to improve the bloc’s readiness to confront a variety of possible crises. He is expected to release his findings as early as next week and the draft is still subject to changes.
The report is a part of the bloc’s effort to boost its defense and security readiness amid growing a set of risks, including Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions along the EU’s eastern members, potential spillover from conflicts in the Middle East and concerns about China’s assertive rise in the East. The bloc has also become more wary of new hybrid threats, such as waves of migrants being sent into the EU by Russia and Belarus to destabilize member states.
The EU lacks a proper intelligence service, with officials currently analyzing public available sources and information received from member states. That limits the capacity of the EU institutions to detect potential threats and react, the report found.
Niinisto is expected to propose expanding the mandate of the EU Intelligence and Situation Center to include intelligence gathering, as well as harnessing EU diplomatic delegations for that purpose, the people said on condition of anonymity because the report isn’t final. The new center, together with other EU actors, could then conduct counter-espionage activities and support policymakers by highlighting potential risks.
In addition, the draft report calls on the EU to strengthen its defenses against hostile spies by aligning the legal framework for espionage and illegal clandestine activities in member states to avoid safe havens. It’s also expected to propose establishing restrictions for diplomats from third countries traveling within the EU if they represent a threat in terms of conducting sabotage or espionage activities, the people added.
The European Commission declined to comment.
The proposal of a new EU intelligence service is likely to spark controversy within the bloc given concerns about centralizing power in Brussels, as well as national security agencies being reluctant to share classified information and sources with other countries and EU institutions.
Senior EU officials and lawmakers had called in the past for reinforcing information sharing among EU countries in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015 or Brussels in 2016, but little progress was made.
In preliminary discussions to prepare the Niinisto report, some member states noted the importance of respecting the different responsibilities of national authorities and the EU institutions. Some capitals stressed the need for a response at the EU level given the cross-border nature of some crises, people familiar with the matter said.
The report also calls for enhancing the use of funding tools already available at the national and European levels, the people said. One suggestion is to expand the funding scope of the European Investment Bank for the defense sector beyond the dual use.
It’s also expected to propose a European Preparedness and Readiness investment plan that would bring various funding tools under a single instrument, which could allow for earmarking a share of the EU budget for preparedness, security and defense. Member states should also commit a specific percentage of its GDP to these ends, the report is expected to say according to the people.
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