COUNCIL OF
Brussels, 15 November
THE EUROPEAN
2001
UNION
SN 4546/1/01
REV1
LIMITE
NOTE
from :
Secretary General/High Representative
to :
General Affairs Council
Subject :
Intelligence cooperation
Delegations will find attached as an annex a contribution of the Secretary General/High
Representative on the subject of intelligence cooperation.
____________
REPORT BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL/HIGH REPRESENTATIVE TO
THE COUNCIL ON INTELLIGENCE COOPERATION
Defence Ministers meeting informally on 12 October asked me to study
co-operation between military intelligence services and between civil and
military intelligence services. In doing so I have borne in mind the wider
intelligence picture, in particular the requirement for intelligence in three fields:
intelligence relating to law enforcement and state security;
intelligence relating to CFSP
intelligence relating to crisis management operations
Defence Ministers did not strictly cover the first element and I simply recall here
the steps already taken, under the direction of the European Council and in
response to the events of 11 September. The second and third fields are
closely linked, and are dealt with in greater detail below.
Co-operation in the fields of law enforcement and state security
Substantial co-operation between intelligence and security services was
already in place before the events of 11 September, subject of course to any
limitations imposed by national legislation. Recent events have given even
greater emphasis to the need for intense co-operation and co-ordination, both
in the operational and policy fields.
As well as intense operational contacts at working level, heads of domestic
state security services met on 11 and 12 October to discuss how to improve
co-operation between their services. Their experts on terrorism are meeting on
19 November. Similar contacts have taken place in the police field, with the
heads of the counter-terrorism units of the 15 police services meeting on 15
October. Their co-operation was endorsed by national police chiefs at their
meeting on 30/31 October. Increased co-operation is also taking place within
the framework of EUROPOL, with the establishment of a special unit/task force
composed of intelligence and police experts in the field of counter terrorism. It
is important that co-operation in these fields is both intensified and closely co-
ordinated between the many services involved.
Co-operation in the fields of CFSP, ESDP and crisis management operations
Existing co-operation
The attacks of 11 September are a reminder of the importance of sound early
warning, which is an essential element in the development of an effective
CFSP. This has been recognised by Heads of Government, who at the
European Council in Amsterdam in 1997, as well as establishing the Policy
Planning and Early Warning Unit, noted the need for Member States and the
Commission to provide confidential information to assist the policy planning
process.
The goal is high quality situation assessments that take account of the widest
possible range of information sources, including open sources, privileged
confidential information such as diplomatic reporting and military and political
intelligence. These situation assessments are needed by the key decision-
making and advisory bodies of the Council, including the Council itself,
COREPER, the Political and Security Committee, European Military Committee,
as well as the SG/HR, the Council Secretariat and EUMS.
A start has been made with the exchange of diplomatic reporting, but is limited
and in need of improvement. The Council disposes too of other important
sources (for example, EUMM and Special Representatives). Steps have been
undertaken to enhance information exchanges with other organisations (UN,
NATO, OSCE, NGOs etc). All of these sources can provide valuable inputs to
the overall information picture, thus contributing to early warning and policy
planning processes, and procedures have been established within the Council
Secretariat (PU, DG E, EUMS and Joint Sitcen) to exploit the available material,
with the Joint Situation Centre already producing integrated all-source situation
reports.
Co-operation in the military intelligence field in support of crisis management
operations has also been developing as part of the European Union’s Security
and Defence Policy. Heads of the Military Intelligence services of the Member
States met last Autumn and in Spring this year and will meet again shortly on
27 November. But most importantly, an Intelligence Division has been
established within the EU Military Staff. Arrangements are in place allowing for
secure transmission of classified information from each Member State to the EU
Military Staff with a view to it contributing to the early warning and policy
planning process, as well as in support of specific crisis management
operations.
As well as enhancing co-operation within each of these fields, many Member
States also taking active measures to improve co-operation between their own
domestic, external and military intelligence services. This should continue to be
developed.
Enhancements
With declaration of operationality expected at Laeken, further improvements
are necessary. More extensive and efficient exchanges are needed in the field
of diplomatic reporting. Properly protected electronic exchange is vital for real-
time value. But it is particularly important to make improvements in the field of
shared political intelligence.
Such material is highly sensitive. If Member States are to share it, they must be
confident that it will be put to effective use, while at the same time being
properly protected. This requires both staff for the analysis of such information
and sound security procedures and structures.
In the light of the above I am implementing a number of structural and
procedural changes within the Council Secretariat intended to enhance its
capacity to properly analyse, exploit, protect and distribute sensitive intelligence
material made available by Member States.
In terms of improved sources of information, we shall be looking in the following
directions: intelligence provided by the Member States (generally in an
assessed form, but not exclusively); assessed intelligence reports from NATO;
national diplomatic and military reporting; reports from European Commission
delegations world-wide; image analysis from the EU Satellite Centre;
information from Council sources, such as EUMM and Special Representatives;
information exchanges with other organisations (UN, OSCE, NGOs etc), and
open source information.
I am putting in place a small group of staff, experienced in the field of
intelligence analysis, to work in an integrated manner with staff in the
Intelligence Division of the EU Military Staff, the relevant task forces of the Policy
Unit and staff of DG E. Together, their role will be to support the existing early
warning effort and situation analysis work of the Joint Situation Centre. It is my
intention that this additional assessment capability, which could be reinforced
on my decision, will be operational before the end of the year.
The success of these arrangements will depend on high standards of security
being maintained, in line with the requirements of the Council Decision of
19 March 2001, due to enter into force on 1 December 2001. Experience to
date, particularly in the establishment of the Intelligence Division of the EU
Military Staff, has identified a number of technical/procedural measures needed
to guarantee the standards set in the Council Decision.
Secure handling arrangements will be put in place to ensure that assessments
are distributed securely and appropriately within the Secretariat. Member
States should nominate points of contact in Permanent Representations to
receive assessments. In due course, protected transmission links will be
needed, including to and from capitals.
_______
SN 4546/1/01 REV1
WS/fs
PAGE 1
CAB
EN