The European Union's strategic approach towards internal security and intelligence sharing

Abstract

Intelligence-sharing within the European Union (EU) remains marked by enduring tensions between national sovereignty and collective security imperatives. Member states (MS) adopt divergent approaches shaped by historical legacies, legal frameworks, and geopolitical threat perceptions. France promotes strategic autonomy while guarding operational sovereignty; Spain supports EU frameworks through a legalist, counterterrorism-focused lens; Latvia and Poland emphasise North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) alignment, driven by proximity to Russia and existential threat narratives. Despite institutional developments—such as INTCEN, PESCO, and ENISA— cooperation remains fragmented, constrained by legal barriers like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), asymmetries in oversight, and limited trust among states. However, these national intelligence strategies and threat perceptions frequently diverge, from the EU’s collective security agenda, reflecting different priorities and levels of trust among MS. The 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine reactivated calls for unity but ultimately underscored the persistence of national preference in intelligence policy. A qualitative, theory-informed case study approach examining France, Spain, Latvia, and Poland reveals that intelligence integration in the EU remains politically and operationally fragile. Sustainable progress depends on incremental trust-building, legal harmonisation, and the development of shared strategic norms that respect the Union’s political and cultural diversity.