Intelligence services across Europe are beginning to overcome long-standing distrust between each other and build a joint operation to counter Russian aggression. According to “Politico“, this process is accelerated by the hesitant position of the US towards its traditional allies, reports News.bg.
Over the past year, a number of European countries have sent their intelligence representatives to permanent missions in Brussels. The EU's domestic intelligence unit is already conducting training for senior officials, and the idea of creating a more powerful structure resembling the CIA is being discussed more seriously within the union - something that until recently seemed impossible.
The acceleration of the process came after Donald Trump's administration stopped sharing military intelligence with Ukraine in March. “Trump deserves a Nobel Peace Prize for uniting European services“, commented a Western source quoted by the publication.
According to intelligence and security officials, the crisis in transatlantic relations has pushed European agencies to cooperate more intensively and more directly than ever.
New thinking and more autonomy
Many European countries are already rethinking the way they share information with the United States. Dutch intelligence services have announced they are halting some data sharing with Washington due to political interference and human rights concerns.
There is growing concern among senior EU officials that organisations such as NATO could become less reliable platforms for intelligence sharing. “There is a sense that American commitment could weaken in the coming months”, warned Antonio Missiroli, a former senior NATO official.
”The Berne Club“ - the old backbone of European intelligence
Traditionally, intelligence sharing in Europe has been carried out through the so-called Berne Club - an informal network created nearly 50 years ago in Switzerland. It has no headquarters and meets only twice a year.
In recent years, the club has coordinated with the EU's rotating presidency, but it remains far from being a unified intelligence community. Some countries, such as Malta, do not participate at all, while others - such as Austria - have been temporarily excluded due to suspicions of being too close to Moscow.
The main players, such as France, Germany and the Netherlands, have traditionally refrained from sharing sensitive information with all members, for fear that it might leak. Bulgaria, long considered vulnerable to Russian influence, has already revamped its services, according to local sources.
Pressure for closer integration
In recent months, the EU has increasingly seriously discussed the creation of a pan-European intelligence agency. Former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö has proposed the creation of a CIA-like service to coordinate the union's strategic and operational intelligence.
Currently, the closest analogue is the EU Intelligence and Situation Centre (INTCEN), which brings together analyses provided voluntarily by member states. The center has been headed by Croatian Daniel Markic since September 2024, with the mission to enhance information exchange and provide direct analysis to European leaders.
The challenge - trust
Despite increased cooperation, the main problem remains the lack of full trust between member states. Former CIA chief of mission in Italy, Robert Gorelick, notes that “the EU is too diverse to fully share sensitive information“.
Some countries prefer smaller regional coalitions. Following the US withdrawal, France and the UK led a “coalition of the willing” that expanded Ukraine’s access to European satellite data and surveillance technology.
The Netherlands is also considering deeper cooperation with the UK, Poland, Germany and the Nordic countries.
Despite the progress, trust between the 27 countries remains fragile. It was recently revealed that Hungarian intelligence agents, acting under the guise of diplomats, had attempted to infiltrate EU institutions – another sign that full transparency is still a long way off.
As Niinistö summed up:
“When it comes to preparedness, it all comes down to the word trust. Without it, real cooperation cannot exist.“