By Smartencyclopedia Staff
Brussels, Belgium – The European Union is ramping up efforts to boost intelligence-sharing across its member states, extending a plan initially focused on asylum-seekers suspected of terrorism to include all foreigners involved in migratory procedures. The initiative, led by the Belgian Presidency, seeks to enhance cooperation between immigration authorities and counter-terrorism agencies to combat potential security threats.
This move marks a significant expansion of a plan initiated in 2022 when EU member states began discussing ways to improve information-sharing on asylum-seekers posing a terrorist threat. Under the original plan, national intelligence agencies could receive information about the timing and progress of international protection applications lodged by individuals suspected of terrorism. Now, the scope has broadened to include “any foreigner involved in a migratory procedure.”
The Growing Scope of Security Concerns
According to a discussion paper circulated by the Belgian Presidency, this extension reflects growing security concerns beyond asylum-seekers. “Security concerns go beyond the mere scope of applicants for international protection, as they also cover other people who apply for the legal right to stay in Europe,” the document states. These “other people” include those seeking residency, those whose legal status is under review, and individuals without the right to stay.
This plan aims to streamline the exchange of information across member states regarding foreigners who may pose a terrorist threat, based on their involvement in migratory processes. By expanding the scope, the EU seeks to provide better tools for national security agencies to track individuals across borders and prevent terrorist activities before they materialize.
Enhancing Cooperation Between Agencies
The Belgian Presidency has proposed several actions to implement this broader intelligence-sharing framework:
- Mapping out current arrangements: Identifying existing systems and structures for cooperation and information exchange between immigration and counter-terrorism authorities.
- Highlighting best practices: Identifying successful examples of cooperation and ensuring they are shared and implemented across the EU.
- Centralizing contact points: Establishing contact points within immigration and asylum authorities to facilitate smoother international cooperation and exchange of information on foreigners posing potential threats.
This framework will allow counter-terrorism authorities to obtain administrative details, such as the identity and legal status of individuals suspected of terrorism, without accessing sensitive details about asylum cases (such as interview content or the grounds of protection claims). This distinction preserves confidentiality while enabling security agencies to assess risks effectively.
Balancing Security and Privacy
One of the key challenges for the EU is balancing effective counter-terrorism measures with the protection of personal data and privacy rights. The Belgian Presidency’s proposal emphasizes that all information-sharing activities must comply with national and European legal frameworks, including stringent data protection laws.
Critically, the plan rules out international exchanges of this intelligence with non-EU states, though it remains possible that data gathered could be shared with third countries if they provide information on individuals considered security risks. The Belgian Presidency underscored that information would only flow from immigration authorities to counter-terrorism agencies, preventing any unauthorized transfer of classified intelligence.
The Broader Context: Counter-Terrorism and Migration
This intelligence-sharing initiative forms part of the EU’s broader counter-terrorism strategy. The plan builds on Council conclusions from June 2022, which called for increased cooperation between immigration authorities and intelligence agencies to safeguard Europe against terrorism. With rising global migration, concerns about terrorist infiltration have grown, particularly following violent incidents linked to radicalized individuals moving through or into the EU.
An Evolving Threat Landscape
In light of these challenges, the EU’s extended intelligence-sharing plan reflects an evolving threat landscape where national security concerns increasingly intersect with migration management. As member states face higher migration flows, the need for coordination between immigration and counter-terrorism authorities is becoming more critical.
The expansion comes amid broader concerns regarding terrorism in the EU. In early March 2024, the EU Council’s Terrorism Working Party discussed the role of climate change and environmental issues in radicalizing violent extremists in Europe. This shows the wide-ranging scope of threats the EU is seeking to address through its security frameworks.
Looking Ahead: Implementation and Impact
While the extended intelligence-sharing plan is still under discussion, its success will depend on the willingness of EU member states to participate fully and transparently. To facilitate this, member states have been asked to respond to several questions posed by the Belgian Presidency, such as how they organize cooperation between immigration and counter-terrorism authorities and what specific measures can be taken to strengthen the exchange of information.
The Belgian Presidency also highlighted that more can be done to establish central points of contact in immigration authorities and optimize cooperation. As the EU continues to refine its counter-terrorism strategies, this intelligence-sharing framework will play a vital role in shaping future policies on migration, security, and data protection across the bloc.
References:
- Belgian Presidency: Information exchange between counter-terrorism authorities and immigration and asylum authorities – Discussion paper (Council doc. 6146/24, LIMITE, 19 February 2024, pdf)
- French Presidency: Improving the transmission of information between administrations in the follow-up of persons representing a terrorist threat (Council doc. 6247/22, LIMITE, 22 February 2022, pdf)
- Council conclusions on protecting Europeans from terrorism: achievements and next steps (9 June 2022, pdf)