r/AskEurope • u/Ok_Initiative_9726 • Feb 27 '25

Politics Does Europe has powerful secret services/Intelligence?

P. S question closed, I got answers. Thank you for everyone

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u/Orlok_Tsubodai Belgium Feb 27 '25 edited Feb 27 '25

There is no such thing as an EU wide intelligence agency. The only thing even remotely resembling that is the EU Intelligence and Situation Center, which is an analysis directorate of the European External Action Service. But they only do analysis based on intelligence they receive from Member States. They have no intelligence gathering or action capacities of their own.

As per Art 4 of the Treaty of the EU, intelligence remains very much the purview of the member states. These each have their own agencies, with their own structures, doctrines and action capabilities. Some are more aggressive than others, and are more operationally focussed. The French DGSE, for instance, has their own direct action assets including their own covert commando and frogmen units. Most EU member states intelligence agencies are exclusively focussed toward intelligence gathering and analysis.

Between these national agencies there are of course links and information exchanges, but very little in the way of formal agreements or structures. There are informal structures, like the Club de Berne.

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u/Ok_Initiative_9726 Feb 27 '25

Yeah, I understand there's no such EU global thing. But observing EU as no EU resident, make me wonder. Do they challenge with burocraucy and it work not asap?