Contrary to online rumours and some press reports, the European Union is not proposing the creation of a new security and intelligence agency. In a recent press conference where the EU Commission outlined its security proposals for the EU, the EU Commissioner President Ursula von der Leyen voiced her opposition against such a proposal.
Ursula von der Leyen’s security advisor Sauli Niinistö said that security is the competence of the national member states implying that proposing an intra-wide European intelligence and security agency would not be welcomed by some nation-states. When he was asked by journalists why not propose the idea to member-states and allow them to come up with a position first before assuming it will be rejected, Sauli Niinistö only gave incoherent replies.
The EU Commission is proposing EU member states to share more data with the EU’s data-gathering and intelligence unit called the European Union Intelligence and Situation Centre. The unit has no executive power, lacks coordination with various member states, and only serves as a data gathering unit for the EU institutions and authorities.
Sauli Niinistö is proposing EU member states to work more closely with this unit and promote a policy of “preparedness”: a Nordic concept and policy where civilians are prepared for war. He also said that Russia, which is the main security threats to the EU, may attack a EU member state in the future but did not give specifics and did not provide security solutions for such a scenario.
When asked what the EU would do to prevent the dissemination of intelligence to EU member states that are hostile to the EU and allied with Russia, such as Hungary, Sauli Niinistö gave an incoherent reply about the philosophy of the balance between the right of individual and the obligation to protect society. No specifics were outlined.
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