NAVIGATING SOVEREIGNTY AND SECURITY: PROSPECTS AND PITFALLS OF A UNIFIED EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE COOPERATION AGENCY IN THE WAKE OF THE NIINISTÖ REPORT
NAVIGATING SOVEREIGNTY AND SECURITY: PROSPECTS AND PITFALLS OF A UNIFIED EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE COOPERATION AGENCY IN THE WAKE OF THE NIINISTÖ REPORT

Author(s): Dragoş VETRESCU
Subject(s): Politics / Political Sciences, Politics, Security and defense
Published by: Carol I National Defence University Publishing House
Keywords: European intelligence; strategic autonomy; intelligence cooperation; hybrid threats; Niinistö Report.
Summary/Abstract: This paper critically evaluates the prospects, challenges, and feasibility of establishing a unified European intelligence agency, contextualized within contemporary geopolitical developments and the recent proposals of the Niinistö Report (2024). It examines the historical evolution of European intelligence cooperation, identifies the heightened need for enhanced collaboration arising from security threats such as the war in Ukraine and hybrid operations, and explores strategic rationales advocating for greater intelligence integration. The paper further analyzes significant obstacles including national sovereignty concerns, operational complexities, and legal barriers embedded within EU treaties. Drawing upon historical lessons the paper critically assesses the Niinistö Report’s pragmatic recommendations aimed at fostering deeper cooperation in intelligence matters up to creating an intelligence cooperation service.

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