Austrian expert skeptical over proposed EU intelligence exchange

Recent proposals from European states to intensify the exchange of intelligence in light of the Brussels terror attacks are seen with skepticism by an Austrian expert.

Speaking to the Austria Press Agency on Friday, intelligence expert and historian from the University of Graz, Siegfried Beer, said a number of obstacles stand in the way of improved cooperation being realized.

He said calls for the greater exchange of intelligence are typically made by small and medium-sized nations, while larger ones, such as France and Great Britain, have been hesitant and have "too little trust."

The national intelligence services are "not designed for such cooperation," he said, noting that talk for such cooperation in Europe has been going on "for a good 15 years," with no progress, mainly because the larger states have "applied the brakes."

Additionally there "have not been enough good experiences," even in the past, he said, and added "one does not know one another well enough, there are no mechanisms."

Smaller states want greater cooperation due to having weakness in this regard, and from this point of view know they need the larger states, while the latter are hesitant. It is now a question of whether the larger states will soften their view, the expert said.

He claimed the French in particular would have something to gain from doing so.

Even if there was a will toward change however Beer said this would be difficult, as the intelligence services "are also nothing other than bureaucracy," and in his view the bureaucrats involved would not be the "most flexible."

Despite this, pressure for intensified cooperation will continue to increase, he argued, in part due to the threat of further terror attacks. Endit