Former Finnish President Sauli Niinistö suggested strengthening intelligence gathering and sharing at the European Union level in his report “Strengthening Europe’s Civil and Military Preparedness”, Unherd reported.
In the report “Strengthening Europe’s Civil and Military Preparedness”, Sauli Niinistö said it was necessary to create “comprehensive preparedness” in response to contemporary challenges, including the conflict in Ukraine. Niinistö said that this concept would ensure the functioning of the European Union in all conditions and create a “holistic response to interstate crises”.
Sauli Niinistö suggested strengthening the collection and exchange of information, in particular by improving the bloc’s Common Analytical Capability. He also mentioned the possibility of creating a European Union Intelligence Cooperation Service, a supranational body that would work in addition to national bodies, which could spark debate about the degree of centralisation of intelligence functions in Europe.
Social media reacted to the proposal with ridicule, emphasising that the “real CIA” is already operating in Europe. Users expressed concerns about the lack of accountability and transparency in the actions of such a service.
Despite support for some aspects of the initiative, the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, recognised the existing resistance. The official said that in the near future the focus will be on improving the exchange of information, rather than creating a new spy structure.
Earlier, the European Commission urged the Ukrainian government to reform the National Police and the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) within the next year.
