This report discusses the opportunities for enhanced European intelligence cooperation in light of the key challenges facing Europe over the next ten years, as identified in the Strategic Monitor 2020-2021, Geopolitical Genesis: Dutch Foreign and Security Policy in a Post-COVID World. In light of these challenges and the need to realise European strategic autonomy and deliver on the goals of the EU Strategic Compass for security and defence, closer intelligence and security cooperation by Europe is required. However, intelligence activities lie at the very heart of national sovereignty, and can perhaps be considered to be the hardest hurdle to cross. Nevertheless, over the years the EU has developed several institutions to facilitate intelligence sharing between its member states and agencies have been established that collect, analyse and operationalise intelligence in view of key security threats. Within this institutional context, there is scope to assess the opportunities for enhanced European intelligence cooperation.

This report starts by taking multilateral intelligence cooperation and its three main drivers – internal demand, external pressure and cooperative momentum – as its analytical framework. It subsequently focuses on the subjects of intelligence cooperation in the EU, intelligence culture in and cooperation with Asia, and intelligence cooperation in a Post-Brexit Europe. In doing so, this report addresses three specific questions: – How can intelligence cooperation in the field of early warning help the EU better respond to external conflicts and crises, support the protection of the Union and its citizens and advance the development of a common European intelligence culture?

– How can useful entry points be identified for European intelligence cultural convergence with Asia that can enable EU intelligence cooperation with certain partners in that region?

– What are the opportunities for the continued engagement of British intelligence and security services in European cooperative arrangements for tackling the security challenges facing the EU?