The EU Intelligence and Situation Centre (EU INTCEN) is a "civilian intelligence function" of the European Union (EU). Structurally, it is a directorate of the External Action Service (EEAS) and reports directly to the EU's High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Article 4 of the Treaty on European Union, among other things, expressly states that "national security remains the sole responsibility of each Member State". EU INTCEN's analytical products are based on intelligence from the EU Member States' intelligence and security services.
History The EU INTCEN has its roots in the European Security and Defence Policy in what was then called the Joint Situation Centre. In the wake of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington of 11 September 2001, the EU decided to use the existing Joint Situation Centre to start producing intelligence-based classified assessments.What could be called the "foundational act" of SITCEN was signed by Javier Solana on 15 November 2001.
In 2002, the Joint Situation Centre started to be a forum for exchange of sensitive information between the external intelligence services of France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. At that time, the centre's mission was to:
Contribute to early warning (in conjunction with other Council military staff) through open source material, military and nonmilitary intelligence and diplomatic reporting; Conduct situation monitoring and assessment; Provide facilities for crisis task force; and Provide an operational point of contact for the High Representative.
In June 2004, at the request of High Representative Javier Solana, the Council of the European Union agreed to establish within SITCEN a Counter Terrorist Cell. This Cell was tasked to produce Counter Terrorist intelligence analyses with the support of Member States' Security Services.
Since 2005, the SITCEN generally used the name EU Situation Centre.See, for example, In 2012, it was officially renamed European Union Intelligence Analysis Centre (EU INTCEN). It assumed its current name in 2015.
Since January 2011, the EU INTCEN has been part of the European External Action Service (EEAS) under the authority of the EU's High Representative.Ilkka Salmi. Biography europarl.europa.eu Retrieved 21 April 2023
Directors
William Shapcott, a former British diplomat (2001–2010). , previously the Head of the Finnish Security Intelligence Service (2011–2015).EU High Representative Catherine Ashton appoints Director of the European Union Situation Centre (SITCEN) for the External Action Service European Union Retrieved 21 April 2023 Gerhard Conrad, former Head of Foreign Intelligence Section of the BND (2015–2019). José Casimiro Morgado, previously the Director-General of Portugal's Serviço de Informações Estratégicas de Defesa (2019–2024). Daniel Markić, previously the Director of the Croatian Security and Intelligence Agency (2024–present).
Organisation , the EU INTCEN is composed of three Divisions:
Intelligence Analysis and Reporting Branch. It is responsible for providing strategic analysis based on input from the security and intelligence services of the Member States. It is composed of various sections, dealing with geographical and thematic topics. Intelligence Support Branch. Intelligence Policy Branch.
The total number of EU INTCEN staff in 2012 and 2013 was close to 70.
Single Intelligence Analysis Capacity
Since 2007, the EU INTCEN has been part of the Single Intelligence Analysis Capacity (SIAC), which combines civilian intelligence (EU INTCEN) and military intelligence (EUMS Intelligence Directorate). In the framework of the SIAC, both civilian and military contributions are used to produce all-source intelligence assessments.
The EU INTCEN and the EUMS Intelligence Directorate are the main clients of the European Union Satellite Centre, which provides satellite imagery and analysis.
See also European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats Joint European Union Intelligence School Intelligence Directorate of the European Union Military Staff
References
External links