APPENDIX 13
Memorandum from the Centre for European
Reform
US-European co-operation among intelligence officers
and police and prosecuting authorities
In the autumn of 2001, there was some grumbling
among European agencies that the transatlantic intelligence flow
was one-way. Despite the occasional headline in the press to
the contrary, however, transatlantic co-operation in this area
is now functioning well, and has produced some impressive results—leading
to numerous arrests of terrorist cells in Europe and elsewhere.
The initial squabbles on one way traffic in information has abated.
It is interesting to note that the Europeans
initiated this co-operation immediately after September 11th,
with the United States somewhat unsure how to respond. This differs
from the dominant picture of the US urging, pushing, cajoling,
bullying the Europeans to co-operate.
Also, the initiative to start negotiations on
a streamlining of extradition procedures across the Atlantic came
from the European side (under the Spanish presidency). The Danes
are now pushing to bring these talks to a conclusion by year end.
This account comes from well-placed US sources and has been confirmed
by European sources. (Because the extradition talks essentially
came out of the common EU arrest warrant agreement, it also illustrates
the externalities of EU integration.)
NATO, European Security and Defence Policy
There is currently a lot of talk in Brussels
about retasking NATO and, in some circles, ESDP, to tackle new
security threats including international terrorism. This is controversial—many
people doubt NATO's utility/relevance as a terrorist-fighting
organisation. At least half the EU's member-states are sceptical,
even if for different reasons, about the chances and merits of
ESDP going beyond the Petersberg tasks.[125]
The Centre for European Reform
November 2002
125 The Centre for European Reform has published two
contending views on NATO's future. They are summarised at: http://www.cer.org.uk/pdf/pr-374.pdf Back
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