EU Member States need to better align their intelligence services and ultimately establish a European coordination agency, former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö recommends in a report commissioned by the European Commission.
The report addresses how the EU can better prepare for civil and military crises, such as wars and extreme weather events. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen officially received the document on Wednesday afternoon.
Niinistö highlights the need to enhance the EU’s intelligence capabilities in response to increasingly “aggressive” hybrid attacks from foreign powers like Russia.
He argues that the EU’s intelligence structures need to be gradually strengthened, leading up to the creation of a dedicated coordination agency. Trust among Member States is crucial, he adds.
The initial step should be to increase the staff and authority of the European Union Intelligence and Situation Centre (EU-IntCEN).
Any debate over a European intelligence agency is expected to be contentious, as Member States typically prefer not to have anyone competing with their national services.
However, prominent personalities such as former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta and European Council President Charles Michel have already advocated for a European version of the CIA or FBI.
